KAMPALA — Businessman Hamis Kiggundu, popularly known as Ham, has confirmed that his team was responsible for demolishing structures at St Balikuddembe Market (Owino) as part of a project to redevelop the Nakivubo drainage corridor in central Kampala.
The demolition, which took place on the night of March 7 along Sebana Road near the Nakivubo Channel, sparked public outrage after traders reported that unknown people had pulled down several lock-ups and structures in the busy market.
In a statement reported by local media, Kiggundu said the demolition was undertaken by his team as part of ongoing works aimed at improving drainage, sanitation and redevelopment of the Nakivubo channel corridor.
He added that traders whose lock-ups were affected had already been compensated before the structures were removed.
The incident initially triggered confusion after Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) said the demolition had been carried out without an authorised demolition permit, prompting the city authority and police to open investigations into the nighttime operation.
The structures that were demolished were located close to the Nakivubo Channel, a major drainage corridor that carries stormwater from Kampala’s central business district into the Nakivubo wetland.
The channel has long been associated with flooding and waste accumulation in the city, prompting plans to widen, reinforce and cover parts of it under a privately funded redevelopment project led by Kiggundu’s companies.
However, the project has been controversial, drawing criticism from some city leaders and traders who have raised concerns about the legality of construction works around the drainage corridor and the potential displacement of market vendors.
The demolition has therefore intensified debate about urban redevelopment, investor involvement in public infrastructure and the future of Owino Market, one of Kampala’s largest trading hubs.
