Environment
Museveni Backs Hamis Kiggundu’s Bold Plan to Transform Nakivubo Channel
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has endorsed a sweeping redevelopment proposal by city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu to overhaul Kampala’s Nakivubo Channel, describing the plan as both “imaginative and simple” with the potential to permanently address the city’s perennial flooding and waste management crises.
In a letter dated August 2, 2025, and addressed to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, the President hailed Kiggundu’s vision to clean, strengthen, and cover the channel as a “godly proposal,” urging government ministries and agencies to support its swift implementation.
“Ham points out the fact that the channel is open, inviting people to throw in rubbish, including plastics and faeces,” Museveni noted in his letter. “His proposal is imaginative and simple. Allow him to cover the channel after cleaning and strengthening it at his own cost. What a godly proposal!”
Beyond tackling Kampala’s drainage challenges, Museveni also gave his blessing to Kiggundu’s plan to recover costs by constructing commercial properties above the rehabilitated channel. “How will he recover his money? Simple. Allow him to build properties above it that will bring back the money. I approve of the plan. Help him to execute,” the President directed.
Copies of the letter were distributed to Vice President Jessica Alupo and key cabinet members, including the Ministers of Kampala, Finance, Education and Sports, the Presidency, and the Attorney General, signalling strong government alignment behind the project.
A Chronic Urban Dilemma
The Nakivubo Channel, which snakes through Kampala’s bustling downtown from Kisekka Market to Owino Market before draining into Lake Victoria, has for decades been a flashpoint of urban mismanagement. Frequently clogged with plastic waste and raw sewage, the open channel has contributed to seasonal flooding that damages property, stalls business, and poses public health risks.
Kiggundu’s plan proposes not only to enclose the channel and improve drainage efficiency but also to redevelop the surrounding cityscape into a hub of modern commercial and leisure facilities. If executed as envisioned, the initiative could mark a major turning point in Kampala’s urban renewal efforts.
Hamis Kiggundu, through his company Ham Enterprises, is no stranger to large-scale infrastructure projects. He is already spearheading the redevelopment of Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium into a state-of-the-art multi-purpose sports complex—one of the biggest privately-led urban renewal ventures in the country.
Kiggundu has consistently argued that Kampala can only evolve into a world-class commercial capital if the private sector is given space to innovate and invest in infrastructure. His Nakivubo Channel proposal, now buoyed by presidential endorsement, is expected to complement ongoing government modernisation programs aimed at decongesting and beautifying the city.
Looking Ahead
While the President’s support clears the way for implementation, the project is likely to remain a subject of debate among city leaders, environmentalists, and urban planners. Questions over environmental approvals, vendor displacement, and long-term sustainability are expected to feature prominently in public discussions.
Still, for Museveni and Kiggundu, the vision is clear: to transform one of Kampala’s most problematic drainage channels into a modern, commercially vibrant space that reflects the ambitions of a growing capital city.
With strong backing at the highest level of government, the Nakivubo Channel redevelopment could become a flagship model of how private investment and public policy can converge to solve some of Uganda’s most pressing urban challenges.
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