Uganda's cabinet reverses plan to build commercial complex on Constitution Square
Written on
Uganda's cabinet has halted a proposal to redevelop Kampala's 1.172-hectare City Square into a commercial real estate complex, retaining the site's protected heritage status.
Uganda's cabinet has reversed a proposal to develop City Square, formally known as Constitution Square, into a commercial real estate complex, ending a dispute over the future of Kampala's premier green space and historic landmark.
Announcing the decision on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Minister of ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba said the executive had resolved to reverse the development proposal and retain the site's existing legal status. "This decision followed consideration of the site's history, its legal protection, and the environmental and urban planning issues raised by the proposal," she said during a press briefing.
According to the minister, the square's protection dates back to 2007 and is recognised under the Museums and Monuments Act, 2023, and a heritage protection instrument issued in 2024. The protected site covers approximately 1.172 hectares, comprising plots 5, 6 and 7, and contains the 1945 War Memorial commemorating Ugandan soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars.
The reversal comes days after senior government officials and private investors were pushing to transform the public park. The initiative stemmed from an August 30 directive in which President Yoweri Museveni asked the Minister for Kampala Capital City Authority and Metropolitan Affairs, Minsa Kabanda, to evaluate a proposal submitted by businessman Hassan Bulwadda. Attorney General Sam Mayanja had defended the president's authority to explore the redevelopment, arguing that modernising the site would introduce structured green spaces and water features.
The proposal drew fierce resistance from environmentalists, urban planners and political leaders. Kampala Lord Mayor Ronald Balimwezo and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi opposed the giveaway, warning that stripping the city of its core green space would damage its ecological balance and civic identity, and formally petitioned the government. With cabinet's resolution, the legal protections under the 2023 Act take precedence, leaving the square as an open public heritage site in the centre of the capital.