Kampala Lord Mayor Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo has asked the Attorney General, Dr Sam Mayanja, to oppose plans to turn the historic Constitutional Square in the city centre into a commercial complex.
In a letter dated 12 September 2026, Balimwezo asked the Attorney General to advise Cabinet against approving the proposed redevelopment of the two-acre public space.
The proposal follows a directive by President Yoweri Museveni to Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Minsa Kabanda to study plans to develop the site.
According to Balimwezo’s letter, businessman Hajj Hassan Bulwadda proposed an eco-friendly commercial complex featuring a hotel, shopping mall and other facilities powered by solar energy.
However, the Lord Mayor argues that the land is public property and should remain protected from commercial development.
“As the executive of KCCA, elected by the people, we will not sit around while public land is appropriated by a private developer. My office has a statutory duty to protect it,” Balimwezo said.
Balimwezo said Constitutional Square has a long history as a public space.
The site was established in 1903 by the colonial administration as Government Square. It later served as a public park and central transit hub between 1962 and 1995.
It was renamed Constitutional Square on 8 October 1995 to mark the promulgation of Uganda’s 1995 Constitution.
The Lord Mayor cited Section 11 of the KCCA Act, 2010, and Article 237(2)(a) of the Constitution, arguing that the land is held in trust for the people of Uganda.
He also pointed to a 2007 Government order that designated the site as a protected historical and monumental area, which he said prevents its conversion to private or commercial use.
Balimwezo recalled that an earlier attempt to commercialise the site was made between 2001 and 2002, when the then Kampala City Council resolved to lease it to businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba.
The proposed allocation was blocked by the then Minister of Local Government, Bidandi Ssali.
“That wise decision has protected the park for 24 years. To approve its development now would be a reversal of Government policy and a betrayal of public trust,” Balimwezo said.
Beyond its historical value, Balimwezo said the square serves an important safety role for people working and living in Kampala’s Central Business District.
He described it as a central emergency assembly point that could be used to evacuate people from nearby buildings during fires, earthquakes or security threats.
“With over 3.5 million daily occupants in nearby high-rises, markets and courts, paving the space would eliminate the city’s central haven for evacuations during fires, earthquakes or security threats,” he warned.
He also said the open space provides environmental benefits by maintaining green cover and helping absorb stormwater.
The Lord Mayor has asked the Attorney General to advise Cabinet to reject the redevelopment proposal and support KCCA in securing Constitutional Square as a permanent urban heritage site.
He also wants security personnel currently occupying the grounds removed and prospective investors directed to alternative land through the Uganda Investment Authority.
