President Yoweri Museveni has approved the development of Nakivubo Channel pioneered by city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu.
Kiggundi over the weekend announced he had been cleared by KCCA to redevelop the channel that has raised concerns by antidevelopment group.
in an August, 2, 2025 letter to the Prime Minister, President Museveni said he approved Ham’s proposal to redevelop, upgrade, beautify, and improve Nakivubo channel.
Currently members of the public throw rubbish such as plastics, feaces, etc in the channel leading to drainage blockage and flooding,” Museveni said.
The letter also copied to the Vice President, Minister for Kampala, Minister of Finance, Minister of Education and sports , Attorney General and Minister for presidency gives the businessman, the greenlight to develop the channel.
The president said Ham will be able to recoup his investment by constructing properties on top of the channel where he will be getting rent.
“His proposal is imaginative and simple. Allow him to cover the channel after cleaning it and strengthening it at his own cost. What a really godly proposal! How will he recover his money? Allow him build properties above it that will bring back his money,” Museveni said.
KCCA, which is providing technical oversight and aligning the initiative with the city’s drainage master plan, had earlier welcomed the public-private partnership as a blueprint for solving Kampala’s toughest challenges.
“The collaboration between public institutions and private investors such as Hamis Kiggundu is exactly what Kampala needs to address long-standing urban challenges. This is not only about AFCON; it is about leaving a permanent legacy of safety, beauty and functionality for city residents,” said a KCCA official.
The development has however left a bitter taste in Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago’s mouth.
“It is unacceptable for someone like Hamis Kiggundu to step in and claim to develop Nakivubo Channel on our behalf as KCCA without an approved plans and in the name of charity. What he is doing is illegal. If his intentions are genuine and lawful, why doesnt he present his proposal openly,” Lukwago fumed.
Describing Ham’s actions as a matter of national importance and that the channel is public property requiring urgent protection, he said he has petitioned parliament over the same.
KCCA Drainage challenges
Kampala Currently generates between 2,000 and 2,500 tons of waste per day, according to the Kampala Capital City Authority. However, only about 1,200 tons are collected by garbage trucks, according to Economic Poicy Research Centre.
The remaining waste is often dumped in unauthorized locations like drainage channels leading to environmental and sanitation problems.
Approximately 1,200 tons of waste are collected and transported to landfills by KCCA and private companies, according to the Economic Policy Research Centre.
KCCA (Kampala Capital City Authority) faces significant drainage challenges, primarily due to rapid urbanization, inadequate infrastructure, and poor waste management. These issues lead to frequent flooding, especially during heavy rains, causing damage to infrastructure and posing public health risks