President Museveni approved a privately funded project to reconstruct Kampala’s Nakivubo drainage channel, despite opposition from city authorities.
The project aims to address chronic flooding and sanitation issues.
However, in a letter from State House, President Museveni has set the record straight. The President confirmed that he received a direct request from Mr. Kiggundu, seeking permission to work on the channel.
President Museveni stated that he gave his approval on the condition that Mr. Kiggundu would follow the proper channels through the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and that he was aware of the businessman's plan to fund the project himself.
Our crew visited the site in Kampala today and found that work on the Nakivubo Channel has already commenced, with labourers actively on the ground.
While city leaders have been critical, many vendors and pedestrians who operate near the channel are overjoyed.
They have praised Mr. Kiggundu, describing him as a patriot and expressing relief that the long-standing channel, which they say was a smelly den of thieves and a disease-ridden ditch, is finally being addressed.
According to the plans released by Mr. Kiggundu's team, the new channel will be constructed to international standards.
It is projected to permanently solve the persistent flooding problem in Kampala and significantly improve sanitation in the city.
Our secret sources from the of the Ham enterprise overseeing the construction, shared artist impressions and a model of the finished project. They stated that the design is inspired by modern drainage systems from cities like Dubai and Amsterdam.
They also expressed confidence in the project's completion, asserting that when Hamis Kiggundu starts a project, he always finishes it.
Despite the optimism, some vendors have voiced concerns, pleading with Mr. Kiggundu to allow them to return to their businesses along the channel once the construction is complete.
In response, the project team clarified that the initial phase involves a massive clearance operation to remove all structures encroaching on the channel's path. Only after this will the actual construction of the new drainage system begin.
This project echoes a previous endeavour by Mr. Kiggundu—the construction of the Nakivubo Stadium. That project also faced initial resistance from some leaders but upon its completion,it dramatically transformed the area and improved its appearance.
