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Residents, factory owner clash over flooded homes in Busega
What you need to know:
The dispute arose from a pile of excavated soil spilling into neighboring homes and causing flooding in Busega, located on the fringes of Kampala and Wakiso District
The heavy rain on Wednesday, which caused flash floods in different parts of the city, has sparked a quarrel between residents and a private company owned by one of the city's businessmen.
The dispute arose from a pile of excavated soil spilling into neighboring homes and causing flooding in Busega, located on the fringes of Kampala and Wakiso District.
Blair Karamuzi, the owner of Bongo Warehouse in Kigwanya Village, Rubaga Division, reported that the recent heavy rains, which caused widespread flooding in the city, led to the flooding of their public toilets and compound with mud.
This mud had been stockpiled within the factory premises. The factory, currently undergoing expansion, has instigated a quarrel with the affected neighbors.
“This issue has been ongoing for a while, but we haven't received any assistance. They initially stockpiled the mud on the factory's eastern side, then halted the process. Later, they relocated the mud to another area within the factory premises, and now they've moved it even closer to our buildings. We're unsure if this is a tactic to force us to sell our land, as the soil dumping on their property is still affecting us significantly,” Mr. Karamuzi said.
Asked how they have been affected, Arthur Bainomugisha, a resident who runs a public toilet in the affected area, explained that on Wednesday, the rain soaked the nearby pile of soil, causing it to pour into his toilet business and flood his property.
According to other residents who spoke to the Daily Monitor but wished to remain anonymous, the flash floods also affected a nearby restaurant and taxi park.
"The factory is being expanded, and they're dumping and piling soil on their land, but they've run out of space, causing problems for us. This issue has persisted since the expansion began. The water has flooded public toilets and is even entering people's homes," Mr. Bainomugisha explained, urging local authorities and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to investigate the matter.
Mr. Pius Kabuye, the LC1 Chairman of the area where the factory is situated, acknowledged that he was previously unaware of the residents' complaints but assured that he would investigate the matters raised. He also noted that the factory owner has a history of being receptive to residents' concerns and tends to address them promptly, suggesting that the owner is unlikely to be obstinate in this case.
When asked if it's standard practice for a property developer to excavate soil and dump it on their premises, even if it inconveniences neighboring properties, NEMA spokesperson Naomi Kankireho replied that as long as the dumping occurs within the developer's approved premises, NEMA cannot take action, as it falls within the scope of the approved project.
KCCA Spokesperson, Mr. Daniel Muhumuza Niweabine, said last evening that he lacked information on the issue since he hadn't visited the site. “I need to consult with the building control board to determine if the proprietor had permission to store excavated materials on site. Currently, I'm not aware of the details,” Mr. Niweabine explained. “However, I know that the factory is located near a swamp and the Northern Bypass, and there are no nearby residential houses.”
The factory owner was unreachable for comment on the residents' complaints. Despite multiple attempts, he did not return calls to his known telephone number. However, factory officials redirected the Daily Monitor's inquiries to the chairman, who is also the owner of the factory.
