KCCA INTENSIFIES FLOOD PREPAREDNESS AS EL NIÑO RAINS LOOM

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has intensified flood preparedness across the city as Uganda braces for increased rainfall, with the Ministry of Water and Environment warning of a high likelihood of El Niño conditions during the September-December 2026 rainfall season.

The warning has prompted renewed attention to Kampala's drainage network, particularly in communities that have repeatedly experienced flooding during heavy rains.

KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi said the Authority is taking preventive measures to ensure the city is better prepared before the rains intensify.

“We cannot stop the rain, but we can prepare Kampala to manage it better,” Kigenyi said while appearing on UBC Star TV on Monday.

He said KCCA has identified 69 critical flood blackspots across the city where drainage channels are being regularly monitored and maintained.

Kampala has about 212 kilometres of primary and secondary drainage infrastructure, comprising 77.88 kilometres of primary drains and 134.46 kilometres of secondary drains. The city also has about 700 kilometres of community and tertiary drainage.

According to Kigenyi, KCCA has undertaken mechanised and manual maintenance on 52.23 kilometres of primary and secondary drainage channels.

The works have covered major channels including Nakivubo, Lubigi, Nakamiro, Kinawataka and Nalukolongo.

The Authority has also constructed 4.47 kilometres of tertiary and community drains across the city's five divisions during the last financial year.

Four bridge structures have been constructed at critical drainage crossings in Soweto, Eliana, Natete and Kayunga Channel at CID Kibuli.

Kigenyi said construction has started on the Nsoba and Kiwunya drainage channels under the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project (KCRRP).

At Lubigi, he said compensation of Project Affected Persons has been completed, paving the way for completion of the remaining 980 metres of the channel.

Desilting works are also continuing.

The interventions, Kigenyi said, have helped reduce flooding in areas such as Bwaise, Bunga-Soya and Kansanga.

Along Allen and Sebaana roads, KCCA has installed 900mm culverts at 15 critical crossings to address recurrent flash flooding.

In the city centre, construction of a longitudinal culvert along Ben Kiwanuka Road is expected to improve the movement of storm water.

KCCA is also improving drainage along Namirembe Road, including a structure measuring about two metres wide and 1.5 metres deep to improve the flow of water from the non-motorised transport corridor along Luwum Street towards Nakivubo Channel.

Garbage worsens flooding

However, Kigenyi said the city's flood problem cannot be addressed through infrastructure alone.

He warned that garbage dumped on roads, open spaces and drainage channels can block water passages and worsen flooding.

“Garbage dumped on roads, in open spaces or directly into drainage channels eventually blocks the system and contributes to flooding,” he said.

He urged residents to keep drainage channels clear and dispose of waste responsibly.

Waste backlog cleared

Kigenyi also addressed concerns over increased garbage following the launch of the National Cleaning Day on July 25.

He said the exercise generated significantly higher volumes of waste than the city normally handles in a single day as residents, businesses, institutions and community groups responded to the campaign.

The waste was temporarily placed at designated aggregation points before being transported to the Buyala Waste Management Facility.

To manage the increased volumes, KCCA deployed 15 additional trucks from private waste management contractors, extended collection operations to day and night shifts, established temporary skips in high-volume areas and strengthened community reporting channels.

Kigenyi said the waste generated during the exercise has now been evacuated.

He said KCCA's regular cleaning operations have continued, with the Authority currently cleaning 401 roads daily and another 54 roads periodically.

The weekly Weyonje community clean-up campaign is also continuing across the city.

Kigenyi said the Authority plans to strengthen waste collection at parish level, with a target of approximately one truck per parish, and procure 10 additional trucks during the 2026/27 financial year.

He said KCCA's long-term strategy is to move beyond disposal through development of a Material Resource Recovery Facility at Buyala.

The facility will support sorting, recovery, recycling and reuse, helping to turn waste into a resource rather than relying solely on disposal.

Meanwhile, rehabilitation and decommissioning of the former Kiteezi landfill is progressing, with at least 40% of the site rehabilitated and the completed section handed over to KCCA.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali

Communication and Media Relations Officer