Cabinet has reversed plans to redevelop Kampala’s Constitution Square, also known as City Square, directing that the site retain its existing legal status as a protected heritage area.
The decision halts a proposal to turn approximately two acres of the public space into a commercial complex featuring a hotel, shopping mall and other facilities.
ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba announced the reversal at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, October 2026, although the exact date of the Cabinet decision was not specified in the statement.
“The public should therefore be clear: Cabinet has reversed the development proposal. Constitution Square will retain its existing legal status,” the government statement presented by Lumumba said.
The announcement follows weeks of public and political scrutiny over the proposed development, including concerns about the protection of historical landmarks, access to public space and the future of Kampala’s remaining green spaces.
The redevelopment proposal came into focus on August 30, 2026, when President Museveni directed Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Minsa Kabanda to examine a plan submitted by businessman Hassan Bulwadda.
Bulwadda’s proposal sought to transform approximately two acres of Constitution Square into a modern, environmentally friendly commercial complex incorporating a hotel, shopping mall and other commercial facilities.
The presidential directive required consultations with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) before a report was submitted to the President.
However, the proposal attracted questions about how commercial development would affect a site with recognised heritage protection and a role as public open space in Kampala’s central business district.
The government later said the proposal remained under review, but Cabinet has now directed that the square retain its existing legal status.
The supplied statement does not establish whether the project had received formal development approval before the reversal.
Constitution Square is a public space in central Kampala with a protected area covering approximately 1.172 hectares across plots 5, 6 and 7, according to the Cabinet brief presented by Lumumba.
The site contains the 1945 War Memorial, which commemorates Ugandan soldiers who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars.
Its significance is not limited to its location in the city centre. The square’s protected status places it within Uganda’s framework for preserving historical sites and public monuments.
According to the Cabinet brief, Constitution Square has been protected since 2007.
Its heritage status is also recognised under the Museums and Monuments Act, 2023, and a protection instrument issued in 2024.
Section 21 of the Act requires the responsible department to protect and preserve public monuments and memorials, while Section 26 places a duty on government ministries, departments, agencies and local governments to conserve and protect heritage sites and monuments.
Cabinet’s decision maintains the site’s existing legal status rather than announcing a new development or a change to its protection arrangements.
The proposed project drew objections from political leaders concerned about the use of public land and the preservation of green spaces in Kampala.
On September 30, 2026, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi questioned the proposal, raising concerns about the city’s remaining green spaces and Parliament’s involvement in the discussions.
Kampala Lord Mayor Ronald Balimwezo also opposed the redevelopment.
Balimwezo argued that the square should remain available for public use, recreation, environmental protection and emergency response.
Those objections placed the proposal within a broader debate about Kampala urban development and how the city balances commercial interests with public access and heritage conservation.
The concerns were raised during the review process; the available information does not establish that they were the sole reasons Cabinet reversed the proposal.
The Cabinet brief indicates that the decision followed consideration of the site’s history, legal protection, environmental implications and urban planning considerations.
Cabinet has confirmed that Constitution Square will retain its existing legal status, but several questions about the site’s future remain unanswered.
The statement does not outline new arrangements for landscaping, maintenance, restoration or public activities.
It also does not indicate whether Bulwadda intends to submit a revised proposal, whether further public consultations will take place or whether additional measures will be introduced to enforce the site’s heritage protection.
The full findings of the consultations involving Kabanda and KCCA have not been provided in the supplied information, nor is it confirmed whether a formal report was submitted to the President before Cabinet reached its decision.
These details would help clarify whether the reversal closes the redevelopment proposal entirely or leaves room for future plans that comply with the site’s legal protections.
The Kampala Constitution Square redevelopment reversal preserves the site’s existing protected status and the historical memorial it contains, following public and political debate over the proposed commercial project.
For now, the decision means the square is to retain its current legal standing under Uganda’s heritage protection framework.
However, preserving that status does not, by itself, establish what future maintenance, landscaping or public-use arrangements will be put in place.
Those plans remain unclear, leaving the long-term management and use of one of Kampala’s recognised public heritage spaces an open question.
