In March 2020, as Covid-19 lockdowns froze Kampala’s economy, the alleys of Kisenyi fell silent. Traders who once moved 50 tonnes of grain a day now begged landlords for mercy. Where many saw collapse, one landlord stunned the city by waiving months of rent for more than 3,000 stallholders at Nakayiza and Segawa markets. Newspapers carried the story; traders called it survival. That moment of mercy became the seed of resilience in Uganda’s largest informal economy.
By 2022, another crisis returned: heavy storms flooded Katwe and Kisenyi, with images of the Nakivubo trench overflowing splashed across evening bulletins. The trench, long infamous, displaced families and destroyed stock. It became the emblem of what Kampala had failed to fix for decades.
Fast forward to April 25, 2024: the day President Museveni cut the ribbon at the newly rebuilt Nakivubo Stadium. Television cameras broadcast the roar of fans entering what is now Hamz Stadium. Within months, Uganda played CHAN qualifiers there, and URA FC returned home. For a city that had watched its War Memorial rot into dust, this was more than a reopening—it was a resurrection.
As 2025 dawns, cranes rise along Wilson Road, where twin glass towers climb skyward, signaling Kampala’s leap into modern skylines. Meanwhile, proposals to deck the Nakivubo trench stir heated debates in Parliament and the press. Between shadows and skyscrapers, between flood and ambition, Kampala is being remade by two brothers whose influence is felt in every market, tower, and stadium.
In August 2025, Kampala’s front pages carried controversy: letters from President Museveni instructing the redevelopment of Nakivubo Channel had bypassed regulatory checks, drawing fury from MPs and environmental experts. The proposal, championed by Hamis Kiggundu, promised to tame Kampala’s most feared flood trench and replace it with retail decks, walkways, and green corridors. Supporters hailed it as visionary. Critics called it reckless.
Just blocks away, cranes swing above Wilson Road where a pair of 16-floor glass towers climb into the skyline. Approved by KCCA in late 2024, the towers integrate retail, office, and hospitality, designed not only to rival Nairobi and Kigali but to stand shoulder to shoulder with Dubai.
These spectacles, however, come against a sobering backdrop: in April 2025, Reuters reported that Uganda’s public debt had jumped nearly 18 percent in a year, while growth forecasts were revised downward. The question hangs heavy: can private ambition outpace national debt?
From Chaos to Commerce: The Heartbeat of Trade
In mid-2020, as Kampala’s lockdowns shuttered markets and traders faced ruin, Segawa tenants appealed for mercy. Haruna Sentongo responded by waiving three months of rent for at least 500 shops, a rare gesture reported by New Vision and AllAfrica. The waiver extended to Haruna Mall in Ntinda as well, covering more than Shs 1 billion in arrears. For thousands of families, this was the difference between collapse and survival.
Kisenyi is Uganda’s trading heart. From grains and cereals to spare parts, Haruna has structured Nakayiza and Segawa markets, formalizing thousands of stalls and giving traders safer environments. These markets reduce chaos, create jobs, and stabilize supply chains feeding the nation.
Skylines Rising: Glass, Steel, and Ambition
The Wilson Road twin towers are a UGX 202 billion project. Approved by KCCA in 2024, the 16-floor towers integrate retail, office, and hospitality. They redefine Kampala’s skyline and show investor confidence in the city as a continental hub.
The Roar Returns: A Stadium Reborn
On April 25, 2024, Nakivubo Stadium roared back to life as President Museveni presided over its grand reopening. Now renamed Hamz Stadium, the 35,000-seat complex has already hosted CHAN qualifiers and welcomed URA FC. For Ugandans who had watched the War Memorial decay into rubble, this was not just a reopening — it was a national revival of pride and identity.
Hamis Kiggundu redeveloped Nakivubo Stadium into Hamz Stadium, including shops, gyms, and VIP boxes, becoming a symbol of national pride and resilience.
Dreams and Drains: A City’s Boldest Gamble
On August 2, 2025, President Museveni declared Hamis Kiggundu’s proposal to redevelop the Nakivubo Drainage Channel as ‘very good and godly,’ urging immediate implementation. But within weeks, on August 23, KCCA halted the project, citing legal and environmental concerns, while Parliament’s COSASE committee opened an inquiry. Voice Uganda reports the city is in final technical review, seeking to align the plan with drainage safeguards. This clash between presidential will, city law, and private vision has become one of Kampala’s most contentious debates.
The Spirit That Moves a Nation
Both Haruna and Ham advocate for Ugandan self-reliance. Their motto: “It is upon us Ugandans to develop our country.” Haruna acts through construction; Ham speaks, writes, and builds symbols like Nakivubo. Both emphasize willpower as the foundation of development.
Their projects stimulate jobs, lower costs, and build resilience. Markets provide affordable food, towers create white-collar and blue-collar jobs, stadiums attract fans who support city businesses. Together, they enhance economic resilience and public pride.
Criticism surrounds their speed and influence. Haruna once clashed with KCCA; Ham faces scrutiny over the channel project. Critics call for stronger oversight to ensure transparency, drainage safety, and fair tenancy protections. Balancing ambition with regulation is key.
A Gamble in the Global Age
By 2025, Uganda’s public debt had surged nearly 18% in a year, while growth forecasts were revised downward. Yet against this backdrop, Kampala’s skyline sprouted new towers and stadiums reopened. The tension between macroeconomics and private ambition is where the future of Africa’s next global city will be decided.
While the old guard reshaped Kampala with markets, stadiums, and towers, a new generation of developers is rising in 2025 with ambitions that stretch further: climate resilience, smart cities, and tech-driven megaprojects.
Bloodlines and Whispers
Lineage lingers in whispers. Some real-estate circles speculate that Segawa Haruna could be the patriarch behind both Sentongo Haruna and Hamis Kiggundu. Neither man has confirmed or denied this. Yet, within Kampala’s corridors of power and trade, the suggestion adds a layer of intrigue: the city’s greatest builders are not only joined by ambition, but perhaps by blood.
2030 Vision: Can the Pearl Become Singapore?
By 2030, Kampala could host AFCON, showcase flood-resilient urban cores, and shine with towers and stadiums. But success will depend on oversight, inclusivity, and sustainability. The city must grow for all, not just elites, to secure its future identity.
Whether by blood or ambition, Haruna and Ham are reshaping Kampala. Their markets feed Uganda, their towers rise into the sky, and their stadium unites the nation. If regulation balances ambition, Kampala could truly become the Singapore of Africa.
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