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City businessman Hamis Kiggundu, has put up a spirited defence of his ongoing Nakivubo Channel redevelopment project, framing it as a crucial step towards urban renewal and national pride.
The tycoon better known as Ham over the weekend, Kiggundu addressed mounting criticism, including a threat of legal action from Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
Nakivubo channel was sealed off over the weekend
His remarks followed the sealing off of the channel and the commencement of works on the water channel.
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In a statement, he cited public health and safety risks posed by the neglected drainage system and its direct impact on the city’s readiness to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
How Nakivubo channel will look like
A Channel of Hazards and Insecurity
Kiggundu described the channel in its current state as a dangerous and unhygienic, and a "dark symbol of pollution, insecurity, and preventable tragedy."
Nakivubo Channel
He noted that the channel, which runs through one of Kampala's busiest commercial areas, is a repository for sewage, industrial effluent, and waste, leading to crippling floods during heavy rains.
Kiggundu also pointed to the serious safety risks, stating that the open trench has become a refuge for criminals and has tragically claimed "over 100 lives... in recent years."
The businessman argued that the project is not merely an infrastructure upgrade but a vital intervention to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of city residents.
Nakivubo channel is severely silted
An Urban Oasis for AFCON 2027
Beyond the local crisis, Kiggundu elevated the issue to a matter of continental importance.
He revealed that the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while inspecting Kampala’s sports infrastructure, commended the state-of-the-art Hamz Stadium but identified the open Nakivubo Channel as "the last major obstacle to Uganda’s readiness for AFCON 2027."
Proposed Nakivubo channel
According to Kiggudu, CAF’s directive was unambiguous: the channel must be covered and modernised to meet the standards required for hosting Africa's most prestigious football tournament.
He positioned the project as an urgent and unifying call for development that transcends political and tribal divides, urging Ugandans to recognise that "no modern city can prosper with open sewers cutting through its center."
The redeveloped Nakivubo channel
A Local Solution to a National Challenge
The project has faced stiff opposition, particularly from Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who publicly described it as "fraudulent" and its defenders as "charlatans."
In a direct response to such criticism, Kiggundu used his statement to champion local initiative over a reliance on foreign aid.
He argued that the redevelopment demonstrates that "transformative change need not wait for foreign aid," and is instead a "test of Uganda’s will to prioritise development over division, solutions over excuses."
Proposed Nakivubo channel
The ambitious plan for the redeveloped channel includes not only underground flood control chambers and waste filtration systems but also environmentally protected green public spaces, pedestrian walkways, and tissue banks, envisioning a complete transformation of the area into a modern, functional urban ecosystem.
Kiggundu concluded by asserting that the project, once complete, will cease to be a "symbol of neglect and instead become a showcase of what happens when vision meets action."