By Jumah Kakomo
The Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) has called for the preservation of Constitutional Square, formerly known as City Square, saying the Kampala landmark should retain its historical role as a public open space.
The party said the square, established in 1903, has historical, environmental and public-safety functions that should be protected.
Speaking at the party’s weekly press briefing in Kampala on Wednesday, UPC spokesperson Arach Oyat Sharon said the square had faced increasing threats to its public character since the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power in 1986.
She cited 2001, when she said the square was nearly leased to a private businessman.
According to Ms Sharon, the proposed lease was stopped following the intervention of then Minister of Local Government, Mzee Jaberi Bidandi Ssali.
She said access to the square by the public has since been restricted, despite its historical importance.
Ms Sharon also recalled that the square hosted President Yoweri Museveni following his swearing-in ceremony in January 1986, saying its history should be taken into account in decisions concerning its future.
“UPC notes with great concern that Constitutional Square has vital roles that cannot be ignored or easily substituted,” Ms Sharon said.
She described the square as an important green space that contributes to air quality in Kampala. She also said its open ground helps absorb rainwater and can contribute to reducing flooding in a city increasingly characterised by paved and concrete surfaces.
Ms Sharon said the loss of open spaces in Kampala makes the preservation of the remaining public parks increasingly important.
Beyond recreation, she said, Constitutional Square could serve as an emergency assembly point in the event of disasters such as fires or flooding in the Central Business District.
The UPC spokesperson said the party supports policies that protect public land as a public asset.
She cited the loss of Lugogo playgrounds to real-estate development and the conversion of Namanve Forest for industrial development as examples of what she described as the growing pressure on public and natural spaces.
“With proper planning, industrial parks can be established anywhere, but a mature tree, natural or hybrid, takes decades to grow and cannot be easily replaced,” Ms Sharon said.
The UPC is calling for the square to be preserved, citing its historical significance, environmental value and potential role in the city’s emergency-response planning.
