Museveni orders review of plan to turn Kampala City Square into hotel

What the report says

President Yoweri Museveni has asked Uganda’s ministry responsible for Kampala and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to review a private proposal to redevelop part of City Square, one of the capital’s best-known public spaces. The Observer reported that the plan was submitted by city businessman Hajj Hassan Bulwadda and would cover about two acres in the centre of Kampala.

According to the article, the proposal envisions a modern, solar-powered commercial complex that could include a hotel, shopping mall and other facilities. Museveni’s letter, dated August 30, 2026, instructs minister Minsa Kabanda to examine the idea, consult KCCA and report back. The published story said Bulwadda’s submission was dated August 18, 2026.

City Square is described as a gazetted public green space used for national celebrations, gatherings and recreation. Any redevelopment of that kind could raise questions about public access, urban planning and the future of Kampala’s remaining open areas. The report said the plan may attract scrutiny because it would change the use and character of a prominent civic space in the congested city centre.

The Observer also linked the proposal to broader debate over Kampala’s public assets, noting a similar controversy last year over businessman Hamis Kiggundu’s plan for the Nakivubo drainage channel. That earlier project drew mixed reactions over approvals, environmental concerns and use of public infrastructure.