Experts recently warned that Kampala might crash if planners keep fighting instead of working together. The city has struggled with political fights during the Kawempe North election. Heavy rains made everything worse, destroying parts of the city and killing several people. Many important groups have spoken up about the damage to Kampala's name, making social and political watchers angry. After floods killed more than 10 people, The Observer talked to experts who say these problems run deep and need everyone to help fix them.
Urban planner Amanda Ngabirano believes Kampala has plenty of money and skilled workers. She thinks the real problem comes from bad leadership and dishonest politics. She says everyone points fingers at others when things go wrong, but regular citizens suffer most. The situation might become a national emergency soon. Many areas can't be reached anymore, and people waste hours driving through traffic. She believes budget problems start everything. KCCA fixes one street corner at a time instead of looking at the whole picture. Their work lacks proper connections between projects.
Ngabirano points out that KCCA paved roads and filled holes but forgot about water flow. They never fixed the drainage, causing today's floods. She suggests trying military-style solutions before the city chokes itself. She worries that even the president's cars might get stuck in flood waters someday. The expert calls this a pattern that keeps coming back. Everyone waits for the rain to stop, then forgets until next season. Yesterday, she spent three hours stuck in traffic for just five kilometers.
Policy researcher Dr. Fred Muhumuza finds it strange how normal everything seems despite deaths from flooding. He compares it to when the Kiteezi garbage dump collapsed last August, killing over 30 people. Back then, three top KCCA officials faced charges. But after these floods killed 10 people, nothing happened. He notices the government only acts when citizens complain loudly. These flooding issues were expected but happen rarely enough that officials ignore them.
Muhumuza adds that even with proper funding, KCCA might fail because it plans poorly. He says moving buildings from swamps will be hard. KCCA can't enforce urban plans in swampy areas like Kampala. He thinks this problem may never be fixed. He suggests spreading out from central Kampala. Places like Nansana already have banks, courts, schools, and malls. He questions why people keep building in central Kampala.
The city faces silent problems beyond flooding. Illegal buildings spread everywhere, gas stations appear in neighborhoods, wetlands disappear under concrete, and drainage paths fill with unplanned developments. These aren't surprises to those who understand. They come from deep corruption, neglect, and a system where political favors replace following rules. Bribes determine what gets built and what doesn't.
A senior official from the National Environmental Management Authority spoke anonymously about the problems. They said construction in wetlands blocks Kampala's natural water flow. The Nakivubo channel should drain the city but sits clogged with dirt and buildings. Almost nothing can stop flooding anymore. Recently, Mayor Erias Lukwago blamed businessman Hamis Kiggundu for blocking drainage channels with his projects, causing floods across Kampala.
Nakivubo runs nine kilometers through the city toward Lake Victoria. The channel drains water from 27 kilometers of land. The Nema official says thousands of people building in wetlands caused the ecological failure. Kiggundu uses less than 50 meters of the channel. Places like Garden City, Hotel Africana, and Forest Mall block the channel path. Hundreds of new buildings appear daily along the waterway. The official says every group must work together to meet environmental standards. Countries like the UK and Netherlands build near channels but include proper drainage measures.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja toured city projects on March 31. She brought Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda, contractors, consultants, and KCCA staff to a live TV show. A former Kampala deputy official claims this happened because the ruling NRM party lost badly in the Kawempe North elections despite spending 4 billion shillings. The source called it political theater meant to distract from their defeat. The president received false information, leading to this embarrassing public display. Officials tried to look useful after failing politically.
The anonymous source questioned where these same officials were during the actual flooding crisis. Roads turned into rivers, businesses and houses sat underwater, and people died. Yet officials made no TV appearances or press statements, and they created no plans. The timing didn't benefit them politically. After Nabbanja's meeting, questions arose about how development partners view ministers who publicly shame contractors but privately ask for support.
A high-level KCCA official spoke anonymously about these issues. They said this behavior damages trust and scares away investors. It signals Kampala's lack of serious commitment to fair rules. The source claimed that political self-preservation ruins service delivery. Everyone focuses on appearances instead of results. The mayor, ministers, and prime minister behave like politicians protecting their jobs rather than serving citizens.
The source warned that public relations stunts and last-minute project tours could not save Kampala. The city needs complete institutional renewal, honest politics, and professional management. These elements have disappeared from city governance. The problems happen with everyone watching but nobody acting to fix them truly.
Urban planner Amanda Ngabirano believes Kampala has plenty of money and skilled workers. She thinks the real problem comes from bad leadership and dishonest politics. She says everyone points fingers at others when things go wrong, but regular citizens suffer most. The situation might become a national emergency soon. Many areas can't be reached anymore, and people waste hours driving through traffic. She believes budget problems start everything. KCCA fixes one street corner at a time instead of looking at the whole picture. Their work lacks proper connections between projects.
Ngabirano points out that KCCA paved roads and filled holes but forgot about water flow. They never fixed the drainage, causing today's floods. She suggests trying military-style solutions before the city chokes itself. She worries that even the president's cars might get stuck in flood waters someday. The expert calls this a pattern that keeps coming back. Everyone waits for the rain to stop, then forgets until next season. Yesterday, she spent three hours stuck in traffic for just five kilometers.
Policy researcher Dr. Fred Muhumuza finds it strange how normal everything seems despite deaths from flooding. He compares it to when the Kiteezi garbage dump collapsed last August, killing over 30 people. Back then, three top KCCA officials faced charges. But after these floods killed 10 people, nothing happened. He notices the government only acts when citizens complain loudly. These flooding issues were expected but happen rarely enough that officials ignore them.
Muhumuza adds that even with proper funding, KCCA might fail because it plans poorly. He says moving buildings from swamps will be hard. KCCA can't enforce urban plans in swampy areas like Kampala. He thinks this problem may never be fixed. He suggests spreading out from central Kampala. Places like Nansana already have banks, courts, schools, and malls. He questions why people keep building in central Kampala.
The city faces silent problems beyond flooding. Illegal buildings spread everywhere, gas stations appear in neighborhoods, wetlands disappear under concrete, and drainage paths fill with unplanned developments. These aren't surprises to those who understand. They come from deep corruption, neglect, and a system where political favors replace following rules. Bribes determine what gets built and what doesn't.
A senior official from the National Environmental Management Authority spoke anonymously about the problems. They said construction in wetlands blocks Kampala's natural water flow. The Nakivubo channel should drain the city but sits clogged with dirt and buildings. Almost nothing can stop flooding anymore. Recently, Mayor Erias Lukwago blamed businessman Hamis Kiggundu for blocking drainage channels with his projects, causing floods across Kampala.
Nakivubo runs nine kilometers through the city toward Lake Victoria. The channel drains water from 27 kilometers of land. The Nema official says thousands of people building in wetlands caused the ecological failure. Kiggundu uses less than 50 meters of the channel. Places like Garden City, Hotel Africana, and Forest Mall block the channel path. Hundreds of new buildings appear daily along the waterway. The official says every group must work together to meet environmental standards. Countries like the UK and Netherlands build near channels but include proper drainage measures.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja toured city projects on March 31. She brought Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda, contractors, consultants, and KCCA staff to a live TV show. A former Kampala deputy official claims this happened because the ruling NRM party lost badly in the Kawempe North elections despite spending 4 billion shillings. The source called it political theater meant to distract from their defeat. The president received false information, leading to this embarrassing public display. Officials tried to look useful after failing politically.
The anonymous source questioned where these same officials were during the actual flooding crisis. Roads turned into rivers, businesses and houses sat underwater, and people died. Yet officials made no TV appearances or press statements, and they created no plans. The timing didn't benefit them politically. After Nabbanja's meeting, questions arose about how development partners view ministers who publicly shame contractors but privately ask for support.
A high-level KCCA official spoke anonymously about these issues. They said this behavior damages trust and scares away investors. It signals Kampala's lack of serious commitment to fair rules. The source claimed that political self-preservation ruins service delivery. Everyone focuses on appearances instead of results. The mayor, ministers, and prime minister behave like politicians protecting their jobs rather than serving citizens.
The source warned that public relations stunts and last-minute project tours could not save Kampala. The city needs complete institutional renewal, honest politics, and professional management. These elements have disappeared from city governance. The problems happen with everyone watching but nobody acting to fix them truly.
