KAMPALA – Tensions flared on Thursday as Kampala City Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, was physically blocked from entering the offices of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) by security commandos.
The incident occurred as the Lord Mayor attempted to meet with NEMA’s Executive Director, Dr. Barirega Akankwasa, to discuss the highly contentious redevelopment of the Nakivubo water channel by businessman Hamis Kiggundu, commonly known as Ham.
The confrontation highlights the growing dispute over the multi-billion shilling project, which involves constructing a series of shops and a green belt directly on top of the critical water channel. The development, spearheaded by Kiggundu’s companies, has drawn significant criticism for its potential environmental impact and social consequences.
Lord Mayor Lukwago arrived at the NEMA offices to formally present the concerns of city hawkers who have been displaced by the ongoing construction. He argued that the project has unlawfully evicted hundreds of vendors from their trading spots without providing an alternative location for them to operate.
“These hawkers have been left with nowhere to go. This is where they have earned their livelihood for years, and now they have been displaced by a development that is itself on questionable ground,” Lukwago stated to journalists after being denied entry. He emphasized that his visit was to seek clarity from NEMA on how the project received approval despite its apparent infringement on a vital city drainage system and its adverse socio-economic effects.
The development has raised alarms among city planners and environmentalists, who fear that building on the channel could exacerbate flooding in low-lying areas of the city, including the central business district, during heavy rains. NEMA, as the chief regulatory body, is under pressure to explain the criteria used to grant the necessary environmental and construction permits.
At press time, NEMA had not issued an official statement regarding the blockage of the Lord Mayor or the specific concerns surrounding the Nakivubo Channel project. Dr. Akankwasa was unavailable for immediate comment.
The standoff at the NEMA offices signals a deepening rift between city authorities and national agencies over urban development priorities, pitting large-scale infrastructure projects against the welfare of informal traders and environmental sustainability.
