By Owiri Boniface

Kampala, Uganda’s bustling capital, has witnessed rapid population growth in recent years, with increased economic and social activities. However, this growth has not been met with a commensurate improvement in infrastructure. As the heart of national development, Kampala should strive for global city status, an attractive hub for investors, visitors, and international events in sports, entertainment, and technology. Unfortunately, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) appears to be a significant roadblock.

Nakivubo Stadium, once a neglected area, was entrusted to Dr. Hamis Kiggundu who was given the responsibility to redevelop it into a modern facility. Through his vision and resources, Ham has since delivered a modern world-class sports facility. This development has not only elevated downtown Kampala into a thriving well-organized, secure commercial hub but has also given Uganda an international-level sports stadium set to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).  However, even this achievement faces unwarranted resistance.

Caf & Fifa Inspections And Recommendations

Several delegations from CAF and FUFA, who have periodically inspected and evaluated the facility, got impressed by Dr. Ham’s efforts. Fifa has also recently approved and certified the stadium facility. Despite the stadium’s status and elegance, CAF officials identified  the following key recommendations to meet international standards among others

To ensure a seamless and safe experience for spectators, the management was urged to enhance the access areas surrounding the stadium to promote better mobility and security for all attendees especially given the huge expected crowds of football fans.

Open drainage systems around the facility pose significant health and safety risks, as waste flows on the surface. CAF and FUFA recommended that these should be covered to maintain the stadium’s safety and sanity as the current status of the open drainage stands as an unhealthy hazard to the people intending to use the facility.

These upgrades are critical for Hamz Stadium Nakivubo war memorial grounds to meet CAF’s requirements and secure its readiness for AFCON 2027. Addressing these issues will not only enhance safety and accessibility but also elevate the stadium’s reputation as a world-class sports facility.

The Stadium management started to implement these recommendations promptly to ensure compliance and provide a safe welcoming environment for football fans and players.

Enter KCCA frustrations

The authority is expected to spearhead the development of the city. Despite KCCA’s approvals and surveyor reports to the stadium management, KCCA has opted for a confrontation approach against the implementation of the same.

While the stadium’s management has begun implementing these changes, KCCA officials have allegedly resorted to frustrating the efforts toward implementation of these CAF-suggested recommendations using baseless claims equally issuing an illegal notice halting all ongoing works, Asking management to provide copies of proof of plan approvals and survey reports which said documents ham enterprises has provided as were early issued by the same KCCA. This renders the notice illegal and defective.

OPINION

Whereas KCCA has always struggled to deal with and sort out the city’s prevailing challenges, Uganda has got an opportunity for private individuals willing to invest their own resources into making the city better. It is also public knowledge that KCCA is a technical wing which must work hand in hand with other private business partners instead of resorting to confrontational political measures rather than offering technical support and guidance to investors.

It is illogical and counterproductive for KCCA to work against private developers who are genuinely committed to developing Kampala. Instead of engaging in propaganda and abuse of power, KCCA should embrace a spirit of collaboration. By constructively partnering with private investors like Ham Enterprises Limited in the form of offering technical guidance to guide development. This will achieve the much-needed development and position Kampala on the global stage.

Kampala’s future depends on collective efforts between public authorities and private sector stakeholders for a better sustainable city. Everyone’s effort matters towards collective socio-economic transformation for our motherland Uganda to develop as a nation at large.

As CAF recommended, open drainages surrounding Nakivubo Stadium must be developed and covered for sanity and safety whether by private investors or local government.

KCCA, offer technical guidance, don’t frustrate development!