Businessman Hamis Kiggundu has revealed that his much-debated decision to cover and redevelop the Nakivubo Channel was triggered by safety concerns raised by CAF inspectors during their latest review of the historical Hamz Nakivubo Stadium.
According to Kiggundu, while the stadium had earlier secured the green light from both CAF and FIFA to host continental club fixtures, the most recent assessment identified the open drainage channel along the facility’s edge as a potential hazard.
“We built a very good stadium and FIFA and CAF came and inspected and appreciated it. We even got approval to host CAF interclub continental games,” Kiggundu noted, speaking to the press.
“However, during their recent inspection, they told us that for us to get the stadium to even better standards, we had to find a solution for the Nakivubo Channel. They told us the river was a hazard.”
He emphasized that CAF officials placed the responsibility squarely on his shoulders, urging him to ensure the surrounding environment of the stadium also met international benchmarks.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY pic.twitter.com/JmIC1U2JPz
— Hamis Kiggundu (@KiggunduHamis) June 29, 2025
That advice, Kiggundu said, led him to approach President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni with a proposal to cover and redevelop the channel, a move he argues goes beyond safety.
“Infact all the people we have employed on the project are Ugandans,” he explained, highlighting that the ongoing works are not just about eliminating risk but also about creating jobs and stimulating economic activity.
By directly tying the Nakivubo Channel project to CAF’s safety standards, Kiggundu positions the redevelopment as part of Uganda’s wider quest to align with international requirements ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
