A Monday afternoon downpour started harmlessly, not showing any slight chance it would turn down town Kampala into an “artificial lake” for a lack of a better word, submerging shops and homes in nearby slums. Several traders and street vendors running businesses in Ham Arcade, Qualicel, Nabukeera Arcade, The taxi park, and surrounding areas are counting devastating losses, resulting from their goods being submerged in water.
Images of stranded Shoppers, travelers, and motorists flooded the internet a few minutes after the rain stopped.
Environmentalists, hydrologists and KCCA officials blame poor drainage systems for the floods. But there are individuals who are pointing a figure at the Tycoon Hamis Kiggundu, whose development project on Nakivubo channel is alleged to be the foremost cause for the floods. The construction taking place on Nakivubo channel is believed to have blocked and altered the natural drainage flow, thereby giving water no choice but to find its own path.
Flash floods have become a common phenomenon in Kampala despite several efforts to ensure it stops happening. That begs the question, who is to blame for persistent floods in city center and surrounding areas? KCCA spokesman voiced his concerns, blaming the construction work at Nakivubo channel for being responsible for the floods.
Nakivubo channel was initially constructed to manage stormwater, however on-going modifications are proving to be causing more harm than good. There are reports indicating KCCA put a halt on the construction work until concerns from environmentalists and the general public were addressed.
