Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has ordered businessman Hamis Kiggundu, popularly known as Ham, to immediately suspend all construction activities on the Nakivubo Channel.
The decision communicated by KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki in a November 3 letter, follows revelations that the controversial redevelopment project, approved by the President, was being implemented without fulfilling required conditions.
In September, Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago described the works as a “midnight land grab” days before bulldozers and trucks rolled into downtown Kampala.
Ham, through his company, Kiham Enterprises, had shared a picturesque artistic rendering of the Nakivubo Mews and streets around the channel. Many were impressed by the futuristic design.
But the works have been at odds with the plan and many who mocked Lukwago had started believing his cries long before the rains exposed the rest.
Nakivubo Channel is a critical drainage artery that runs through Kampala, funneling stormwater from multiple neighborhoods, including the Central Business District (CBD), into Lake Victoria.
Its proper management is essential to prevent flooding in densely populated urban areas. In recent heavy rains that lasted approximately four hours on October 31, 2025, areas along Sebaana Road, Allen Road, and other adjacent properties were inundated.
A subsequent KCCA technical inspection found that “the flooding…was, in addition to other factors, attributable to the ongoing construction works on Nakivubo Channel.”
In her letter to Kiham Enterprises, Buzeki noted that the project had begun without meeting conditions outlined in the conditional approval issued on September 9, 2025.
She detailed multiple infractions, including poor management of construction debris, blockage of stormwater discharge points, and the vertical formwork installed under reinforced concrete bridge slabs slowing the flow of water.
“The vertical formwork…has worsened the situation by slowing the flow of storm water as they trap garbage and waste material. This was not the case during earlier rains between 10th and 20th October 2025,” Buzeki wrote.
The letter directs Kiham Enterprises to immediately suspend all construction until they comply with planning conditions, remove timber props and concrete culverts obstructing water flow, and clear all construction debris.
Buzeki further instructed the firm to “open all tertiary drainage inlets along Sebaana and Allen Roads to ensure unobstructed discharge of stormwater into the Nakivubo Channel” and to develop a Project Management Plan with KCCA once a building permit is obtained.
The redevelopment has sparked public concern as it reportedly received approval from President Museveni without undergoing the required environmental impact assessments and other statutory processes.
This bypassing of due process has drawn criticism from urban planners and environmentalists who warn that altering the channel without proper oversight could exacerbate flooding and environmental degradation in Kampala.
To oversee compliance, KCCA assigned Eng. Maurice Kairania as team leader, along with supervisors and an environmental officer, to monitor Kiham Enterprises’ work and report progress to the Executive Director’s office.
“The team will oversee the work of your team, prepare and submit routine progress updates…indicating the level of compliance with the above instructions,” the letter states.
The development has also become a political flashpoint, as most KCCA councillors who approved the project belong to the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), raising questions about accountability and governance in city planning.
Lord Mayor Lukwago has vowed to monitor the situation closely to ensure that the Nakivubo Channel is protected as a vital drainage and environmental asset for Kampala.