HON. BIDANDI SSALI BLOCKED THE CONSTITUTIONAL SQUARE RE-DEVELOPMENT, WILL KCCA STAND FIRM ON SAME RESOLUTION?

The Constitutional Square re-development project which never was - courtesy of Hon. Bidandi Ssali.

The New Vision, Friday, September 28, 2001 - published the impression of The Constitutional Square re - development project which never was. Hon. Jaberi Bidandi Ssali is credited to have come out openly and said NO to the de - development effort. It was nor easy given the standing of the promoter - Hassan Bassajjabalaba, but Bidandi prevailed. Hopefully Kampala City Council is in possession of the title to the Square.

Given that the Constitutional Square is currently out of bounds even to blood donors! there is need for prayers that re-development strategies don't come in the near future when not directly driven by KCCA.

William Kituuka Kiwanuka

Redevelopment of Constitutional Square Foiled by Ministry of Local Government

Source: http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=10458

With only seven months to the much-anticipated Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the planned redevelopment of the main geographical landmark in Kampala, the Constitutional Square, hangs in balance.

The then Mayor of Kampala, Nasser Ntege Ssebagala, had announced that Balton Uganda Limited, a subsidiary of Britain's Balton CP Limited, had been contracted to redevelop the Constitutional Square. Ssebagala blocked attempts by the LC3 chairperson of Kampala Central Division, Godfrey Nyakaana, to plant trees and flowers at the Constitutional Square, arguing that Kampala City Council had alternative plans for the area.

The Town Clerk of Kampala, Ruth Kijjambu, told Uganda Radio Network that shortly before the 150 million-dollar deal was finalized with Balton, the Ministry of Local Government intervened in the matter, directing that a meeting be held to discuss the agreement. She said that the meeting has not been convened and the beautification of the Constitutional Square was behind schedule.

Kijjambu said KCC would have wished to start on the redevelopment of the Constitutional Square several months ago, but its hands are tied by Government bureaucracy and a lack of funds.

According to the proposal fronted by Balton, the new-look Constitutional Square would have a water fountain as its main feature in the middle. It would also have an information centre, modern toilets, parking space, a green belt and flowers.

As this project stalls, KCC is turning its sights to other projects. It is to spend one billion shillings to beautify the Entebbe Road ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

The Town Clerk said Government had approved the disbursement of the funds for planting flowers and grass and repairing broken pavements, particularly from the Kibuye roundabout to the Clock Tower. She said KCC had proposed a list of four companies to be granted the deal through a selective bidding process.

Kijjambu refuses to disclose the names of the proposed companies, which will be vetted by the Ministry of Local Government.