A leaked government document blames unapproved construction projects and weak enforcement for catastrophic flooding that struck downtown Kampala last month, while Uganda's engineering oversight body has issued stark warnings about ongoing drainage work that could trigger disaster if technical protocols are bypassed. The confidential Kampala Capital City Authority assessment from Oct. 3, 2025, connects flood damage to unauthorized buildings over vital waterways, alleging that structures owned by Ham Enterprises were put up without official permits along the Nakivubo and Jugula drainage routes. Downpours on Oct. 6 and Oct. 31 submerged the central business district, St. Balikuddembe Market and the New Taxi Park, destroying property valued in the billions and killing more than four people.
Engineers Registration Board Chairman Prof. Eng. Henry Mwanaki Alinaitwe wrote to city officials on Oct. 6, 2025, demanding disclosure of which registered professionals are working on the channel redevelopment. The board cautioned that proceeding without proper flood modeling and drainage capacity analysis could produce catastrophic outcomes. Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago criticized a council vote from April 2025 that has since been used to justify continued construction over public drainage corridors, calling the decision disillusioning and exploited.
Engineers Registration Board Chairman Prof. Eng. Henry Mwanaki Alinaitwe wrote to city officials on Oct. 6, 2025, demanding disclosure of which registered professionals are working on the channel redevelopment. The board cautioned that proceeding without proper flood modeling and drainage capacity analysis could produce catastrophic outcomes. Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago criticized a council vote from April 2025 that has since been used to justify continued construction over public drainage corridors, calling the decision disillusioning and exploited.
