Cabinet has reversed a proposal to redevelop Constitutional Square in central Kampala, retaining the site’s existing legal status as a protected heritage site.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Minister of ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba said the decision followed Cabinet’s consideration of the site’s history, legal protection, and environmental and urban planning concerns raised by the proposed development.
“Cabinet has decided to reverse the proposal for the development of City Square, formally known as Constitutional Square, and retain the site’s existing legal status,” Lumumba said.
She said the square’s protection dates back to 2007 and is recognised under the Museums and Monuments Act, 2023, as well as a heritage protection instrument issued in 2024.
The protected site covers approximately 1.172 hectares, comprising plots 5, 6 and 7. It also contains the 1945 War Memorial, which commemorates Ugandan soldiers who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.
“The Square and its memorial are part of our national history. Decisions about the site must respect that history and its protected status,” Lumumba said.
The proposed redevelopment had drawn public concern over the future of the historic green space and the need to preserve its heritage value amid Kampala’s urban growth.
The Cabinet decision means the site will retain its current legal status, halting the development proposal that had prompted debate about the balance between commercial development, urban planning and heritage conservation.
Lumumba said the public should be clear about the government’s position, emphasising that the proposal had been reversed and that Constitutional Square would remain protected under its existing legal framework.
“The public should therefore be clear: Cabinet has reversed the development proposal. Constitutional Square will retain its existing legal status,” she said.
The decision preserves the square and its war memorial as part of Kampala’s historic landscape, with any future decisions concerning the site expected to take account of its protected status.