Naguru restaurant demolished over planning breaches
KCCA officials said the operations are part of the authority's continued efforts to ensure developments across the city comply with physical planning requirements and do not compromise communities, planned infrastructure or public spaces.
KCCA said the Naguru demolition reflects its commitment to protecting residents' interests, maintaining the quality of neighbourhoods and promoting a well-planned Kampala where development takes place in harmony with the city's long-term vision. (Courtesy Photo)
KAMPALA - In an effort to curb illegal developments in the city, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has demolished an illegally constructed restaurant in Naguru that had become a concern to residents.
Residents of Naguru Zone 1 in Nakawa Division raised concerns about the restaurant, saying it had been constructed without the necessary permits from the authority.
KCCA demolished the structure as part of its efforts to protect the neighbourhood and enforce orderly urban development.
The demolition comes days after a similar enforcement operation at Centenary Park, where KCCA removed three illegal structures after establishing that they had been constructed within the Kampala Flyover Project corridor without the necessary approvals.
KCCA officials said the operations are part of the authority's continued efforts to ensure developments across the city comply with physical planning requirements and do not compromise communities, planned infrastructure or public spaces.
Following an inspection by KCCA's Physical Planning Directorate, officials established that the Naguru structure had been constructed without following the required planning procedures or obtaining the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.
City safety
The KCCA director of physical planning, Vincent Byendaimira, commended residents for reporting the development, saying community vigilance plays an important role in helping the authority identify and address developments that do not comply with approved planning standards.
He encouraged city residents to continue reporting suspected illegal developments through the available channels, noting that partnerships between communities and city authorities are critical to creating a well-planned and organised city.
Byendaimira said the authority will continue enforcing planning regulations to ensure Kampala develops in an organised and sustainable manner.
“Developers have a responsibility to follow the proper planning procedures before putting up any structure,” Byendaimira said. “We caution property owners and investors against undertaking developments without approval because such actions can affect neighbouring communities and undermine orderly urban growth.”
He encouraged developers to engage KCCA's Physical Planning Directorate before starting construction to ensure their projects comply with approved planning standards and avoid losses associated with unauthorised developments.
Under Uganda's Physical Planning Act Cap 142, all developments must obtain approval from the relevant planning authority and conform to approved physical development plans.
KCCA said the Naguru demolition reflects its commitment to protecting residents' interests, maintaining the quality of neighbourhoods and promoting a well-planned Kampala where development takes place in harmony with the city's long-term vision.
As the city continues to expand, the authority said compliance with planning regulations remains essential to creating safe, attractive and sustainable communities for all residents.
Recently, during a meeting with Nakawa residents, KCCA director of engineering and technical services Eng. Justus Akankwasa said the Building Control (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Mortgage Refinance Institutions Act, 2025, and the Valuation Act, 2025, will soon come into force.
Akankwasa said the new building control law will impose tougher penalties on developers who construct buildings without permits.
“We want all stakeholders in Kampala to know that the new law has tough areas for those who are illegally constructing; it’s not a simple penalty, like in the former laws where one would pay sh100,000 as a fine.”
Residents speak out
Richard Okello, one of the neighbours, said residents had warned the developer when they noticed the type of structure being erected, but he ignored their concerns.