Floods swamp Kampala arcades as traders demand answers

Heavy rainfall on Friday night submerged central Kampala, leaving merchants struggling through waist-high water as they salvaged inventory worth billions of shillings from flooded basement shops. Mattresses, clothing bundles and carpets drifted through contaminated water that filled parking areas beneath commercial buildings in Ssekaziga, Totala and French Plaza. Business owners had converted these underground spaces into retail operations with official permits from municipal authorities, who collected licensing fees.

Merchants blamed developer Hamis Kiggundu for constricting the Nakivubo Channel during renovation work, which they claim eliminated drainage capacity and transformed the district into a flood zone. Kampala Capital City Authority executive director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki toured affected areas during the weekend and promised technical evaluations to determine compensation measures. Stagnant pools remained visible through Sunday evening while owners transported damaged merchandise by truck.

The disaster highlighted longstanding infrastructure failures as rapid development collides with inadequate stormwater systems unable to accommodate urban expansion. Nakivubo Settlement Primary School suffered damage, raising concerns for seventh-grade students preparing for national examinations in water-damaged classrooms.