President Yoweri Museveni and Cabinet have reversed a proposal to redevelop Kampala’s Constitutional Square, preserving the public space as a protected historical site. The decision stops plans that would have seen part of the prominent city centre landmark transformed into a commercial complex featuring a hotel, shopping mall and other business facilities.

The decision was announced on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, by ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Museveni at State House, Entebbe, a day earlier. Lumumba said the government had resolved to retain the square’s existing legal status after considering its historical importance, environmental concerns and urban planning implications.

The proposal had been submitted by businessman Hassan Bulwadda, who wrote to Museveni on August 18, 2026, seeking permission to develop approximately two acres of the site. His plan involved establishing a modern, environmentally friendly real estate complex powered by solar energy and incorporating a hotel, shopping mall and other commercial facilities.

In response to the proposal, Museveni directed Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Minister Minsa Kabanda to consult the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and examine the plan before returning with recommendations. The directive raised questions about whether one of Kampala’s important public spaces could be opened up for private commercial development.

However, Cabinet has now rejected the proposal, with Lumumba explaining that Constitutional Square enjoys legal protection dating back to Uganda’s independence. She cited the 1962 Constitution, the Museum and Monuments Act of 2003 and a heritage protection instrument issued in 2004 as part of the framework protecting the site.

The protected area covers approximately 1.172 hectares and comprises plots 5, 6 and 7. It also contains the 1945 War Memorial, which commemorates Ugandan soldiers who died during the First and Second World Wars. The memorial gives the square historical significance beyond its role as an open public space in the heart of Kampala.

Lumumba said decisions concerning the square must respect its historical value and protected status. She confirmed that Cabinet had reached its decision under Museveni’s chairmanship and that the government would retain the site’s existing legal protections, effectively ending the proposed commercial redevelopment plan.

The reversal preserves Constitutional Square as one of Kampala’s recognised historical landmarks and keeps the proposed hotel and shopping mall project from proceeding under the plan presented to the President. The decision also highlights the challenge of balancing commercial development and urban modernisation with the protection of public spaces that hold national historical importance.