By Mulengera Reporters
Hajj Hassan Bulwadda’s plan to transform Nakivubo Settlement Primary School into a national skills-training centre and shopping complex has moved closer to implementation after Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda directed parents to transfer their children to another school before the end of the year.
Kabanda issued the directive after inspecting the school premises alongside Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials, school administrators and local leaders, signalling a shift towards the redevelopment of the site the businessman wants to turn into a centre for practical education and commercial activity.
The proposed development, which hajj Hassan Bulwadda has named Bulwadda National Skilling Centre and Shopping Complex, is intended to replace the existing school infrastructure with a facility focused on equipping young people with practical skills.
The minister directed parents with children currently studying at Nakivubo Settlement Primary School, as well as those intending to enrol their children there, to consider Nakivubo Blue Primary School, where the affected learners are expected to be accommodated.
The move follows the yoing property mogul’s appeal to President Yoweri Museveni, asking him to allow the redevelopment of the entire school site. In his August 30, 2026 letter to Kabanda, Museveni directed the minister to convene the relevant leaders and technical officials to examine Hajj Hassan Bulwadda’s proposal and establish whether the requested changes could be implemented.
Hon Kabanda subsequently visited the school to assess its condition, establish whether the pupils could be transferred and determine the feasibility of relocating the primary school.
The inspection established that the school had 82 pupils, including candidates preparing to complete Primary Seven. The assessment also involved identifying an alternative school where the children could continue their education without having to remain at the existing premises.
For Hajj Bulwadda, the development represents an opportunity to give the site a different purpose while placing skills development at the centre of its future use. The proposed centre is expected to accommodate practical training, with a shopping complex forming part of the wider plan.
The proposal comes against the background of concerns about the condition of the existing school buildings. According to the report, some structures have asbestos roofing, a material that has long been declared hazardous to the pupils.
The minister also discovered that the school environment had been affected by surrounding structures, further raising questions about the suitability of the premises for continued use.
The young tycoon, who attended the inspection with a team led by Hajj Musa Lubwama, indicated that he was ready to change the appearance and use of the entire site.
Hon Minsa Kabanda said the exercise would also involve correcting irregularities involving land titles associated with the school property, adding another dimension to the planned redevelopment.
With the government now directing parents towards an alternative school, the focus has shifted to ensuring that the pupils are accommodated elsewhere as Hajj Bulwadda’s transformation proceeds. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
