Tensions as KCCA Halt Ham Kiggundu Project at Nakivubo Channel
KCCA officials gathered at Kafumbe Mukasa Police Station to seek security assistance for serving an enforcement notice to stop Kiggundu’s construction activities.
Tensions escalated when the political wing of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), led by the Chairperson of the City Planning and Building Committee, Gaddafi Jaffali, attempted to halt construction by city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu at the Nakivubo drainage channel near St Balikuddembe Market (Owino).
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago expressed his disappointment, accusing influential individuals with close ties to the central government of effectively taking control of the city's governance.
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KCCA officials gathered at Kafumbe Mukasa Police Station to seek security assistance for serving an enforcement notice to stop Kiggundu’s construction activities.
Among the delegation were the Minister for the Lord Mayor, John Mary Sebufu, and Planning Committee Chairperson Gaddafi Jaffali.
From the police station, they proceeded directly to Kiggundu’s construction site, where workers were continuing their labor to complete the structures.
Upon arriving at the entrance to Nakivubo Channel, the KCCA officials were confronted by individuals allegedly acting as security personnel for Kiggundu.
Dressed in black shirts emblazoned with "RRU" and supported by others in plainclothes, these guards blocked the KCCA officials and journalists, threatening to destroy cameras if any recordings were made.
After the confrontation, the KCCA officials returned to City Hall, pledging to use all legal means necessary to stop the illegal construction on Nakivubo Channel.
A few days ago, I and @PublicSquareEA , we asked @KCCAUG and @nemaug not to allow C(sh)ity business-man Ham Kiggundu to build on Nakivubo drainage channel; just days later,water is negotiating its way into Owino market. WATCH VIDEO. pic.twitter.com/uNksf9mcrl
— Gabriel Buule (@GabrielBuule) November 16, 2024
Lord Mayor Lukwago reiterated his frustration, asserting that the governance of Kampala is no longer in the hands of KCCA leaders but rather dominated by wealthy individuals and those with political power.
Lukwago also criticized gaps in the KCCA Act, claiming it fails to protect the interests of ordinary city dwellers and often favors the elite at the expense of the public.
The elected leaders of KCCA are now looking to an emergency meeting led by KCCA Executive Director Frank Rusa to determine the next course of action.
Nakivubo Channel, a key drainage system in Kampala, has long been overwhelmed, with ongoing construction activities and heavy rains regularly causing flooding.
The flooding damages goods in St. Balikuddembe Market and poses a threat to the nearby church.
