By Spy Uganda
Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja has praised city mogul Hamis Kiggundu, alias Ham, for his remarkable efforts in redeveloping the Nakivubo drainage channel, saying he has “done a good job” in transforming the city’s flood-prone corridor.
Nabbanja made the remarks this week after personally touring the Nakivubo site on the directives of President Yoweri Museveni, who tasked her to verify the extent of flood damages downtown and spearhead a compensation plan for affected traders.
“This man (Ham) has done a good job as you can see. All he needs now is technical support from us. The President has ordered engineers from the Ministry of Works, KCCA, and Ham’s Engineers to work hand in hand to ensure the project is completed properly and fast, especially since it’s still the rainy season,” Nabbanja told the press shortly after her inspection.
Her commendation comes at a time when a fog of political accusations hangs over the multi-billion Nakivubo redevelopment project, with opposition figures led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago accusing Ham of worsening the city’s flooding and destroying traders’ property worth billions of shillings.
In a strong rebuttal, Ham dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically charged, insisting he too has suffered losses from the same floods and should be viewed as a victim, not a culprit.
“The truth is I’m also a victim of these floods. My investments have been affected too. My work on Nakivubo is actually to solve this long-standing drainage problem, not to cause it,” Ham emphasized, adding that his project is aimed at modernizing Kampala’s infrastructure for the benefit of all city dwellers.
President Museveni, through a recent communication, directed that all those whose property was destroyed by the floods be “assisted,” a signal that government is ready to step in and cushion traders from the losses. Nabbanja’s visit was therefore part of a broader presidential initiative to coordinate technical teams and facilitate fair compensation.
Political observers say Nabbanja’s praise of Ham’s work may help douse the flames of blame that have pitted the youthful entrepreneur against opposition leaders and frustrated traders. The development also repositions Ham as a central figure in Kampala’s modernization drive, despite the controversy surrounding his Nakivubo project.
Ham’s Nakivubo redevelopment, valued in the hundreds of billions, encompasses an upgraded drainage system, commercial arcades, and a modern sports complex around the iconic Nakivubo Stadium — a project many hail as a testament to private-sector innovation in city transformation.
