Kampala business man Hamis Kiggundu popularly known as Ham is once again under the spotlight for demolition and taking over part of the land for St. Balikuddembe market space, a section of vendors has revealed.
The land which has been occupied by the building and other temporary structures housing lockups, shops and other enterprises of more than 50 vendors, was demolished in the night of Saturday, 7, March, 2026. It is bordering Nakivubo drainage Channel along Ssebaana Kizito road in Kampala Central Division.
It has emerged from the St. Balikuddembe market vendors commonly known as Owino that, Ham is an orchestra of the said demolition, basing on the government guard rails.
However, KCCA had denied knowledge of the same in the statement that was released shortly after the act, describing the incident as reckless.
The Federation of Uganda Market Vendors Association Robert Mukalazi told Blazer News Times that the impugned space was acquired by Ham on claim that it would help in easing the expansion of Nakivubo drainage Channel, currently being developed under his auspices.
“KCCA is just confusing the public regarding that demolition, they are the ones that allocated the Channel to him”, Mukalazi said.
The Channel has since its disputed allocation in 2025, been redeveloped with shopping arcades over it. Its land allocation had met a sharp criticism from the outgoing Kampala city lord mayor Erias Lukwago and some other opposition leaders on among other grounds that; it lacked an environment impact assessment from the National Management Authority (NEMA) and legal permit from KCCA.
According to Mukalazi, the demolished space was under the control of KCCA gained upon taking over the Owino market management and other 16 markets in 2022, by the time it fell in possession of the businessman.
It is understood that originally it was under the possession of an indisposed businessman John Baptist Kivumbi who enjoyed its proceeds.
Mukalazi revealed that the evicted vendors from the said market space were offered three million shillings by Ham to voluntarily vacate before he could pledge a supplementary 6 months- rent free offer to them on his newly constructed arcade.
“Ham should fulfil his promise to the evictees beyond other than acquiring the space” He emphasized.
Ham’s property acquisition comes amidst the growing concerns of floods in some adjacent commercial buildings, which traders blame to the Nakivubo Channel redevelopment goings on.
The Federation of Uganda Market Vendors Association general secretary attributed the recurrent flooding set back on what he called lapses into the KCCA physical planning regime.
