President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s Cabinet has rejected a proposed redevelopment of Kampala’s City Square, insisting that the public space, also known as Constitution Square, must retain its protected heritage status.
The decision was announced on Tuesday by the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, during a press briefing at the Uganda Media Centre.
Kasule Lumumba said Cabinet reviewed the proposal and considered the historical importance of the site, its legal protection and environmental and urban planning implications before deciding against the planned transformation.
She explained that Constitution Square is legally protected and cannot be redeveloped without due regard to the laws and instruments governing the preservation of national heritage sites.
The minister noted that the site’s protection dates back to 2007 and is recognised under the Museums and Monuments Act, 2023, as well as a heritage protection instrument issued in 2024.
According to her, the protected area measures approximately 1.172 hectares and comprises plots 5, 6 and 7 in central Kampala.
The Square also houses the 1945 War Memorial, a monument honouring Ugandan soldiers who died during the First and Second World Wars.
Kasule Lumumba emphasised that preserving the site was essential to safeguarding the country’s historical legacy and ensuring that future development decisions respect its heritage value.
She confirmed that Cabinet had reversed the proposed redevelopment, meaning the project would not proceed under the plan that had been submitted for consideration.
The rejected plan followed a directive issued by President Yoweri Museveni on August 30, 2026, asking the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Minsa Kabanda, to examine a redevelopment proposal submitted by businessman Hassan Bulwadda.
In a letter dated August 18, 2026, Bulwadda had proposed transforming the approximately two-acre City Square site into a modern commercial complex incorporating a hotel, shopping mall and other facilities.
The proposed development was presented as an environmentally friendly project that would rely on solar energy to power its facilities.
Museveni subsequently instructed Kabanda to study the proposal, consult the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and submit a report to him to guide further consideration of the matter.
The directive had set in motion an examination of the proposal, which sought to introduce a mixed-use commercial development in one of Kampala’s historically significant public spaces.
However, Cabinet’s latest position has halted the plan, placing the preservation of the site’s legal and historical status ahead of the proposed commercial transformation.
War Memorial at Centre of Preservation Decision
Constitution Square occupies an important place in Kampala’s historical landscape, with its war memorial serving as a reminder of Ugandans who lost their lives in the two World Wars.
Its protected status means that any proposals affecting the site must take into account the applicable heritage laws and the need to safeguard its historical features.
The Cabinet decision signals that the government intends to maintain the Square in accordance with its existing legal protections rather than proceed with the proposed hotel, shopping mall and associated commercial facilities.
The announcement brings renewed attention to the balance between modernising Kampala’s urban spaces and protecting sites that hold national historical significance.
For now, City Square will retain its existing legal status, with the proposed redevelopment abandoned following Cabinet’s intervention.