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
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.
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