Lukwago moves to halt Ham’s construction works on Nakivubo Channel

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Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago says he has petitioned the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to halt businessman Hamis Kiggundu’s construction works on Nakivubo Channel in downtown Kampala until all legal procedures are followed.

This follows Kiggundu’s move to begin cordoning off parts of the channel, one of the city’s major drainage systems.

“The Constitution that establishes the office of IG and the Act gives it overarching powers to make some quick interventions. So, we have asked the IG to invoke those particular provisions and issue an order for the removal of those mabati (iron sheets),” Lukwago told the media in Kampala on Monday, August 18.

The Lord Mayor, flanked by members of his political wing, stated that they had already submitted their petition to the IG.

He added that they had also written to the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, requesting him to raise the matter before Parliament and push for immediate action against Ham and his team.

“This is a matter of national importance because we are talking about the capital city and public property for which we have authority as custodians. There is no free land in Kampala,” Lukwago emphasised.

Kiggundu’s cordoning off of the channel on August 16, 2025, under heavy security, sparked protests from vendors, politicians and environmentalists.

Kampala Capital City Authority spokesperson Dan NuweAbine told New Vision in an earlier interview that the developer involved is Ham Enterprises Uganda Ltd.

“We are aware of the development on the channel, and our team is also likely to visit the area to carry out more assessments on Monday [August 18],” he said.

When contacted over the weekend, Kiggundu, the director of Ham Enterprises, confirmed to New Vision that the project was his, explaining that he intends to transform the area from a criminal hideout into a thriving business centre.

“Nakivubo had turned into a criminal hideout and a dumping site for all sorts of garbage. On top of that, as advised by Confederation of African Football officials, Nakivubo Stadium, in its current state, cannot host international events with an open drainage channel around it,” he said.