Govt, Watoto lock horns over demolition of Uganda’s first cinema 

Government and the management of Watoto Church (formerly Kampala Pentecostal church) are locked in a standstill over plans to demolish the historic Norman Cinema building.

Watoto wants to replace it with a 12-storeyed building, three-star hotel, 3,000-seater auditorium, a shopping centre and youth centre. Known to many as KPC located along Kampala road in the heart of Kampala city, Norman Cinema was established by an Indian businessman Norman Godinho in the 1940s’.

It was famous as a movie place and performance hall known as Laquinta and the ideal dream destination for many revellers, as referenced in a song titled “Ebinyumu ebyaffe” by the legendary kadongo kamu artist Elly Wamala.

Earlier, Watoto Church through a multinational architectural firm, Symbion Uganda Limited, released a plan that would see the building demolished to pave way for the construction of a 2,000 seater conference centre, retail space and a 3-star hotel, among other business and recreation functions.

This sent shockwaves down the spine of preservationists who later launched a campaign dubbed “Don’t Demolish Our Heritage” and #SaveWatotoChurch”.

Through the campaign, they asked Watoto to review its development plan to preserve the architectural uniqueness of the site and leave parts of it intact. The directorate of physical planning at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) also declined to approve the designs demanding that the developers submit a plan that caters for the preservation of some aspects of the historical building.

It was not named what should be preserved but Watoto was asked to consider an inclusive design. However, Watoto insisted that theirs was a private property which is not protected by the Historical Monuments Act of 1968, which gives the line minister powers to publish lists of the preserved or protected objects. After this, Watoto petitioned against the decision by KCCA to the National Physical Planning Board but received the same guidance.

URN has learnt that Watoto petitioned the attorney general’s office challenging the refusal by the government to approve its plans yet the contested building it’s a protected one. The matter is also said to have reached the State House.

Anita Kusiima, the acting deputy director of physical planning at KCCA was hesitant to share updates on the negotiations with Watoto management. She, however, reaffirmed that Watoto had submitted its redevelopment plans and that the matter of the preservation of the building was being handled by the authority’s legal directorate.

“I don’t want to comment on Watoto Church but yes they submitted plans and it’s being handled by our legal department,” said Kusiima.

Jackline Nyiracyiza Besigye, the acting commissioner for museums and monuments at the ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities says that the government position remains that Watoto management should consider preserving part of the structure. She also hopes that the current bill on Historical Sites and Monuments, although returned to parliament by the president, shall help in their bid to preserve such sites.

“With Watoto, of course, it’s their desire to have the gallery demolished for a better building, but with our new law and the previous law, by the way, we can work together to preserve what is there and they construct another one so that we don’t lose out. Of course, they might not be happy we think that with your support, we can educate them and they move to a better way of preservation,” said Nyiracyiza.

In 2022, parliament passed the Museums and Monuments Bill which sought to provide for formalization, control and protection of tangible and associated intangible cultural heritage. Preservationists were hopeful that Watoto, which is listed as item 213 of part III which lists historical and cultural in the new bill would be saved. However, the president, returned it questioning some of the listed sites.

Simon Musaasizi, the team leader of the Heritage Conversation Trust of Uganda, a project run by Cross Cultural Foundation Uganda (CCFU), a non-government organisation that promotes culture and advocates for the preservation of Uganda’s cultural heritage says the absence of a law leaves the future of the historic building in uncertainty.

He however says they shall continue engaging the leadership of Watoto Church and hopes, they shall appreciate the need to preserve important aspects of the Church. 

“The appeal to the KCCA planning board which actually sat and made recommendations to Watoto Church to revise their plan and make sure that the aspect of preserving that building comes out in their plan. So we’re hoping that they will revise their plan and now that they have a new leadership, we’re also going to engage the new leadership and see what is their vision for that property. But previously, we also heard rumours that they had also petitioned the attorney general but we’re hoping that since the building is not yet down they are committed to preserving it,” said Musaasizi.

Pastor Julius Rwotlonyo, the team leader at Watoto Church says not much progress has been made in resolving the matter. And although he commits the church’s readiness to dialogue, he says they have more questions to put forth to the government. He says they wanted to redevelop their premises in a phased manner but have now been derailed.

“…But what we know and what we stand for, is if someone owns the property and wants to develop their property, they shouldn’t be hindered. But if something like this comes ups, let’s talk, you come and tell us why, what it means and all of that and why now, those kinds of questions. So we have more questions for this, and so we shall continue to engage,” Rwotlonyo said.

With both government and Watoto Church seemingly resolute on their decision to preserve and redevelop the contested premises, and no law to settle the haul between them, the future of Norman Cinema remains hanging. It could join the list of lost buildings such as the Ivory Tower of Makerere University and Kasubi Tombs in Kasubi which were brought down by fire and Pioneer Mall, the first mall in Kampala which was demolished for another bigger and modern mall.

The KCCA bill which could cushion the situation is yet to be passed by the current council. The ordinance among others includes sections that require the government to acquire historical sites in private hands and where the property is not acquired by the government, a fund is set up for owners as motivation and also help them maintain the sites. Preservationists also propose incentives such as reduced or waived property rates on historical buildings and sites. 

BACKGROUND

Norman Cinema was built by Godinho, a prominent Goan who came to Uganda in 1906. He was the most famous city tycoon of the time and one of the biggest property owners in Kampala.

He is reported to have owned Speke hotel, half of Nakasero road and almost all the property on Buganda road between KPC and YMCA in Wandegeya, including Norman Godinho Junior School, now Buganda Road PS. The school remained for decades Kampala’s best in elementary education, until it was converted to a UPE school in 1996.

Godinho’s love for entertainment compelled him to employ the best architect at the time to put up an iconic building dedicated to entertainment, including the first lavish cinema in the country, complete with a gallery/balcony and folding chairs, a novelty then.

The building not only had a modern cinema, but also had space for retail shops on Bombo road and Kyaggwe road, as well as a posh bar and nightclub called Tablois which was later renamed Laquinta in the 1960s.

The cinema attracted people from all walks of life, but was segmented into three sections: the third class who sat nearest to the big screen, second class which sat in the middle and the first class that took the farthest seats from the screen.

The third class reportedly paid 50 cents and attracted mainly people from downtown, those who would shout and comment throughout the film. The second class was for young people mainly from high schools and universities and these paid 75 cents whereas the first class was for elite workers who could afford paying one shilling.

Many English blockbusters enjoyed great runs at the cinema, but also because Godinho was a major player in the Goan community, many Indian films were also shown.

In 1972 with the expulsion of Asians, Norman cinema, like many Asian properties, fell into the hands of one of Idi Amin’s henchmen, Hajji Edris Kasule, one of the richest Ugandans by then, whose brother Musa Kasule owned much of Wandegeya. Kasule, however, failed to keep the cinema running after failing to procure new films, a process known for its complexity to date.

With the fall of Amin in 1979, ownership of the cinema switched hands to Francis Odida, who had been appointed the commissioner of Culture with Norman cinema added to him as a bonus by President Godfrey Binaisa as a reward for supporting his presidential bid.

Odida formed a committee to manage the cinema comprising Okot p’Bitek, the National Theatre director, Radio Uganda’s Apollo Lawoko and UTV’s Jimmy Dean. These renamed the cinema The Centre of Creative Arts but commonly known as The Centre. This alone defined their intentions that the cinema would no longer be just about films but a one-stop centre for arts.

The Centre hosted the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) delegates conference in 1980, shortly after which Apollo Milton Obote was controversially elected Uganda’s president.  With this return of Obote to power, Odida got more involved in politics, gradually losing interest in the cinema.

In 1984, Odida was convinced by his close friend Jennifer Nabafu (a news anchor at UTV) and a follower of Canadian Pastor Gary Skinner of Kampala Pentecostal Church (KPC) who used to hold services at Grand Imperial hotel, to sublet the cinema to him for their Saturday and Sunday services.

Later, Nabafu convinced Odida to sell The Centre altogether to Skinner, but surprisingly, Odida gave it to him for free and only told him to pay the workers their three-month arrears.

“Even Skinner could not believe I was giving it to him freely. He even tried to persuade me to sell it to him but I told him, ‘Pastor, you are the one preaching every day, where is your faith?’” Odida told The Observer in a June 1, 2015 exclusive interview about the famous cinema.

And now this could be the final coffin in Norman cinema’s eventful life. Its vision bearer, Norman Godinho died before President Museveni extended an olive branch to the departed Asians that had property in Uganda.

His widow, according to Odida, returned and tried to start the process of reclaiming the Godinho estate, but when she suffered a bad fall during the tour of the property, she took that as a bad omen and left Uganda, vowing never to return.