By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has demanded the arrest and prosecution of city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu, commonly known as Ham, accusing him of illegally encroaching on public drainage channels and proceeding with construction works without legally approved plans.
On Monday KCCA councillors descended into chaos during a special council meeting convened to discuss the fate of the Nakivubo Drainage Channel, amid allegations that councillors had been bribed to hand over the public facility to city businessman Hamis Kiggundu for redevelopment. This was after rowdy councillors hurled accusations at each other and at Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, whom they accused of pursuing personal battles against Kiggundu.
It all started when the Lord Mayor moved a motion calling for the arrest and prosecution of Kiggundu and the immediate halting of what he termed “illegal activities” at the Nakivubo Channel. His proposal, however, was drowned out by disruptions, with a section of National Unity Platform (NUP) councillors alleging that their safety in the chambers was under threat, promoting Speaker Zahara Luyirika to adjourn the council.
Kiggundu is currently undertaking a multimillion-shillings to redevelop Nakivubo Drainage Channel including emptying the the channel from the solid waste clogging it, covering the channel and constructing shops on top of the channel. The projects have received the backing of President Yoweri Museveni, who has publicly endorsed the investment as part of Kampala’s modernization drive.
Despite the President’s approval, Lukwago maintains that the redevelopment is illegal because Kiggundu has no approvals or permits from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) which is the legal approving body. He said documents purportedly authorizing the developments were fraudulent and not sanctioned by the institution.
“Ham has no approved plan, no certificate from NEMA, nothing. He is grabbing our drainage channel without any right. The only resolution we needed was a pronouncement that such mischief must be arrested and prosecuted,” Lukwago charged.
The Lord Mayor also called for a moratorium on all approvals by the KCCA Physical Planning Committee and Building Control Committee until illegal developments on wetlands and drainage corridors are halted. He accused sections of the Authority’s leadership of shielding developers and rejecting recommendations that Kiggundu and other companies be prosecuted.
In a letter and set of resolutions earlier communicated by the council speaker, KCCA had recommended partnering with private investors to upgrade drainage systems due to limited central government funding. However, several resolutions, including the call to cancel titles issued on drainage corridors, prosecute developers such as Ham Enterprises, and take action against former acting executive director Frank Nyakana and other technical officers, were rejected.
Lukwago described the decision as a “bombshell” that undermined the city’s fight against illegal land acquisitions. He warned that continued encroachment on wetlands and drainage channels would worsen flooding in Kampala.
“The Nakivubo Channel has been there for centuries. Now it is being turned into private property, and tomorrow it will be written into someone’s will. We cannot allow this,” Lukwago said.
The collapse of the meeting leaves unresolved the controversy surrounding the redevelopment of Nakivubo Channel, a project that has drawn criticism over alleged irregular approvals and fears of encroachment on public infrastructure.
