By George Bukenya
Finally, President Museveni has given up with giving away the Constitution Square land to the developer Hassan Bulwadda amidst pressure exerted by environmental and political activists.
This follows a cabinet meeting that Sat on Monday, October 26, 2026 chaired by the President himself, where minsters resolved to retain the heritage site as it is because it’s existence dates way back since the end of the 1945 world war.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Information Communication, Technology and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba while addressing reporters on the weekly Cabinet resolutions at Uganda Media Centre.
Lumumba said, given the political, heritage, and green environmental space importance attacked to this site, government decided to reverse its earlier decision of allocating the 1.172 hectares of land that seats on plots 5,6 and 7 to the so called developer, hence government will beautify it more to make it more attractive.
Last month President Museveni wrote to the Minister for Kampala directing her to work on modernity on how the land in question should be allocated to business man Bulwadda for redevelopment.
Bulwadda has asked the president for said land in his proposal he indicated that he was going to construct a modern hotel which would also accommodate shops but after the public outcry requiring the space to remain as it is, President Museveni decided to take the issue to cabinet which opt to status quo.
“ Based on the Constitutional square’s historical significance, legal protection, and environmental and urban planning considerations, cabinet resolve to leave its status quo,’’ Lumumba said.
She also described the decision as one of three major resolutions taken by Cabinet during its meeting, confirming that the proposed development would not proceed under the plan that had been presented.
The Constitutional Square, formerly called City Square, is a protected heritage site whose legal protection dates back to the country’s constitutional framework of 1962. The site is also recognised under the Museums and Monuments Act of 2003 and a heritage protection instrument issued in 2004. The 1995 Constitution further recognizes the site as Constitutional Square.
The square is also home to the 1945 War Memorial, which commemorates Ugandan soldiers who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars. The memorial and the surrounding grounds are regarded as important elements of Uganda’s national history.
“Lumumba further said, “ any decisions concerning the site must take into account its historical value and existing legal protections, stressing that its heritage status cannot be disregarded in planning future developments.’’
Before the Cabinet decision was announced, questions had been raised about whether the square would be redeveloped and which government institution would be responsible for overseeing any proposed changes.
It had been indicated that any future development would require a plan from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the government institution responsible for heritage matters, as well as the necessary Cabinet approval. Such a plan would also have to respect the historical significance and reasons for the site’s protection.
The latest Cabinet resolution, however, reverses the development proposal and maintains the square’s existing protected status. No new development plan was announced as part of the decision.
The move places the emphasis on preserving Constitutional Square and its war memorial as part of Uganda’s historical heritage while ensuring that any future decisions concerning the site comply with the applicable legal and constitutional provisions.