A meeting of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) council convened to resolve the contentious Nakivubo drainage channel saga was abruptly adjourned on Monday, 24th August 2025, after it descended into chaos, prompting a furious Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago to brand National Unity Platform (NUP) councilors as “hooligans”.
The session, which was chaired by Speaker Zahara Luyirika, aimed to discuss the controversial development project on the channel, assess its current status, and address growing concerns from city stakeholders.
Tensions flared during a submission by Lord Mayor Lukwago, who expressed deep dissatisfaction with the council’s approach. He accused the body of losing focus and failing to prioritise the reclamation of the public drainage way, warning that the city risked surrendering approximately nine kilometers of vital land to businessman Hamis Kiggundu, the proprietor of Ham Enterprises.
“I was so disappointed in this council; instead of focusing on reclaiming the Nakivubo drainage channel, they all turned their discussion on me because I criticized the project,” a visibly frustrated Lukwago stated.
His remarks were met with loud and disruptive protests from a group of councillors. The situation quickly spiralled out of control as tempers flared. Councillors, including FaridahNakabugo and Ivan Mubiru (both from the National Unity Platform – NUP representing Lubaga South), Angel Kwagala (Kawempe South), and FaustinaBitano (Makindye West), stood up, shouted, and banged on tables, rendering the meeting inaudible.
Despite repeated interventions and pleas for order from Speaker Luyirika, the chaos continued. With communication completely broken, Luyirika was forced to suspend the session prematurely.
Speaking to journalists after the fracas, Lord Mayor Lukwago blamed NUP councillors for failing to discuss the matter in a civil way.
“You can see the type of leaders NUP sent us; they’re just hooligans,” Lukwago declared, adding, “That’s how NUP behaves; you can even see their MPs, the likes of Zake. They only know one thing, hooliganism, but can’t sit and articulate issues.”
The incident underscores the deep political divisions within City Hall and threatens to further stall a resolution to the Nakivubo channel development, a project that has drawn significant public scrutiny and debate.
Views: 2
