President Museveni has revealed that is aware of a plan by city businessman Hamis Kiggundu to construct shops on Kampala’s Nakivubo Channel .
In a letter dated August 2, 2025, addressed to the Prime Minister and copied to the Vice President, Kampala Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Education and Sports, Attorney General, Minister for Presidency, and Hamis Kiggundu, Museveni said he had approved the project .
“Ham points out that the fact that the channel is open invites people to dump rubbish, including plastics and faecal matter, all of which clog the channel and cause flooding,” Museveni wrote.
The President ,who earlier approved Ham’s plan to redevelop Nakivubo Stadium ,amid resistance from a section of leaders in Kampala including Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago , described Ham Kiggundu’s latest proposal as “imaginative and simple” and instructed officials to support the project.
“Allow him to cover the channel after cleaning and strengthening it at his own cost. I approve of the plan. Help him to execute,” the President’s directive reads in part .
The letter was released to the public on the heels of Mr Lukwago’s desperate cries to the public to block the project saying it doesn’t pass city standards and would increase flooding in the city .Last weekend , Ham Kiggundu forcefully fenced off the section of Nakivubo Channel from Kisekka Market ahead of the plan redevelopment of the channel .
Nakivubo Channel is a vital part of Kampala’s drainage system, running through low-lying areas and discharging into Lake Victoria.
It has historically been prone to blockages and flooding during heavy rains, affecting thousands of city dwellers .
Critics argue that any construction above the channel must undergo rigorous environmental and engineering scrutiny to prevent disaster. It remains to be seen whether this will be followed before actual construction of shops commences .