Hajj Hassan Bulwadda’s proposal to redevelop Kampala’s City Square has generated a fierce debate over what should be done with one of the city’s most prominent remaining open spaces.
But beyond the fight over whether the two-acre piece of land should be developed at all, the proposal raises another question, of what would ordinary Kampala residents actually get from the planned investment?
From Bulwadda’s explanation of the project rendered during a Friday morning interview on CBS FM, the answer is a mixture of commercial, recreational and public facilities.
The proposed development would include an eco-friendly shopping mall and a hotel, while the existing greenery would not simply be cleared for construction. Instead, the tycoon’s plan envisages retaining and improving the green environment around the development.
For the people of Kampala, one of the more direct benefits would be free Wi-Fi and public toilets besides a large lounging area. In a busy central business district where thousands of people work, trade and move every day, such facilities would provide services that are normally paid for or difficult to access. The plan also includes a series of water fountains around the Independence Monument, with space where people can sit, relax and take selfies without being hindered.
That would give City Square a recreational dimension alongside its commercial function, potentially turning it into a more organized public gathering point in the heart of Kampala, other than today, when ordinary City dwellers are blocked from accessing it. The commercial side could also create economic opportunities. A shopping complex and hotel would require workers, suppliers and service providers, while businesses operating within the development would add to activity in the city center.
Bulwadda’s proposal is, however, facing strong resistance.
Kampala Lord Mayor Ronald Balimwezo has rejected the redevelopment, arguing that City Square should remain an open public space because of its environmental, recreational and emergency-response value. He has also warned against giving away what he considers one of the city’s few remaining green spaces to private developers.
The resistance is partly rooted in the history of the land. City Square was established as Government Square in the early 1900s and was later protected as a historical and monumental site. A 2007 government order designated it a protected historical and monumental site, a status that has become central to the argument against commercial development.
There is also a separate ownership and compensation dispute hanging over the property. Businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba recently told Parliament that his company, Haba Group, won a tender in 2001 to redevelop the site and paid the then Kampala City Council a premium. He maintains that his company has a 49-year sublease and is pursuing compensation from Government after the earlier arrangement was cancelled.
This means any new development has to navigate not only the environmental and historical arguments, but also questions surrounding previous attempts to commercialize the same property.
President Museveni has not ordered that the land be handed to Bulwadda. Instead, he directed Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda to study the proposal in consultation with KCCA and report back. The proposed project covers about two acres and includes a hotel, shopping mall and solar-powered facilities. The entire redevelopment is estimated to cost the young billionaire up to roughly Shs400bn (or $125m).
Bulwadda’s case is that Kampala should not have to choose between development and public benefit. His proposal attempts to put commercial investment on the same piece of land while retaining greenery and adding facilities accessible to the public.
If implemented as described, City Square would therefore no longer be simply an open green space, but it will become a mixed-use urban facility where commercial activity, public amenities and recreation operate side by side. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
