By Johannah Nantongo
KAMPALA — Kampala Lord Mayor Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo has asked Attorney General Dr Sam Mayanja to reject plans to redevelop the historic Constitutional Square into a commercial complex, arguing that the public space must remain protected.
In a September 12, 2026 letter, Balimwezo urged Dr Mayanja to advise Cabinet against approving the proposed development of the approximately two-acre site in Kampala’s Central Business District.
The proposal follows a directive by President Yoweri Museveni to Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Minister Minsa Kabanda to examine plans for developing the site.
According to Balimwezo, businessman Hajj Hassan Bulwadda has proposed an eco-friendly complex that would include a hotel, shopping mall and other facilities, with solar energy expected to provide power.
The Lord Mayor, however, contends that Constitutional Square is public land held in trust for Ugandans and should not be converted into a commercial facility.
“As the executive of KCCA, elected by the people, we will not sit around while public land is appropriated by a private developer. My office has a statutory duty to protect it,” Balimwezo said.
Historic public space
Balimwezo said the square has played an important role in Kampala’s history since it was established by the colonial administration in 1903 as Government Square.
The site subsequently served as a public park and central transit point before being renamed Constitutional Square on October 8, 1995, following the promulgation of Uganda’s 1995 Constitution.
The Lord Mayor cited Section 11 of the KCCA Act, 2010, and Article 237(2)(a) of the Constitution in support of his argument that the land is held in trust for the public.
He also referred to a 2007 government order that designated the site as a protected historical and monumental area, saying the designation should prevent its conversion to private or commercial use.
Balimwezo further recalled an earlier attempt to commercialise the land in 2001 and 2002, when the then Kampala City Council resolved to lease the site to businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba.
The proposed allocation was subsequently blocked by the then Minister of Local Government, Bidandi Ssali.
Balimwezo said the decision had helped preserve the public space for more than two decades.
Emergency refuge
Beyond its historical significance, the Lord Mayor said Constitutional Square provides an important open space for people working and living in the city centre.
He described the grounds as a potential emergency assembly area where people could gather during disasters affecting surrounding high-rise buildings, markets and courts.
“With over 3.5 million daily occupants in nearby high-rises, markets and courts, paving the space would eliminate the city’s central haven for evacuations during fires, earthquakes or security threats,” he warned.
He also argued that the open space contributes to Kampala’s environmental resilience by retaining green cover and helping absorb stormwater.
Balimwezo wants the Attorney General to advise Cabinet to reject the proposed redevelopment and instead support KCCA’s efforts to preserve Constitutional Square as a permanent urban heritage site.
He has also called for security personnel currently occupying parts of the grounds to be relocated and suggested that potential investors interested in developing commercial projects be directed to alternative sites through the Uganda Investment Authority.