Government has allayed concerns over the proposed redevelopment of Kampala’s Constitution Square, one of the few remaining green spaces in the city, into a modern commercial complex.
The assurance follows concerns raised by the Leader of the Opposition (LOP), Joel Ssenyonyi, over a proposal to establish a solar-powered, eco-friendly commercial and business complex at the square.
Ssenyonyi raised the matter during a plenary sitting presided over by Speaker Jacob Oboth on Wednesday, questioning why Parliament had not been involved in discussions concerning the proposed redevelopment.
He noted that Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) had previously sought Parliament’s approval on several matters, including proposals to lease prime plots of land.
“I thought Parliament should not be locked outside, and then we end up doing a post-mortem. Is it actually true that government is considering giving away one of the few remaining green spaces we have in our city? We should be looking to create a lot more green spaces instead,” Ssenyonyi said.
On August 30, President Museveni directed the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Minsa Kabanda, to evaluate a proposal by businessman Hassan Bulwadda to redevelop the square.
The minister was also directed to consult KCCA on the proposal and report back to the President.
However, the State Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (Industry), David Bahati, told Parliament that the President’s letter was an internal communication and that the proposal was still under review by the relevant ministries.
“The letter asked the Ministers to study the proposal and give advice, and the proposal is indeed being studied. So, there is no cause for alarm,” Bahati said.
The proposed redevelopment has also attracted interest from businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba, who told the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on September 23 that he was pursuing compensation from government following the cancellation of his company’s agreement to redevelop the property.
Basajjabalaba said his company, HABA Group, won a tender in 2001 to redevelop City Square and paid the then Kampala City Council (KCC) a Shs1.6 billion premium for the project.
He said the proposed redevelopment at the time would have preserved the green space above the square.
