Prime
KCCA, Nema should rid Kampala of floods
Motorists manoeuvre through a flooded Queen’s Way at Clock Tower junction in Kampala main November last year. PHOTO /FILE EDGAR BATTE
What you need to know:
The issue: Kampala floods
Our view: Nema should evict developers who have occupied wetlands thereby denying water its space. On the other hand, KCCA should pull down structures that have been erected on drainage channels.
Following the continuous flooding in Kampala and the surrounding areas, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is set to construct a drainage channel to enable a smooth flow of flood in the channel every after downpour.
To achieve this goal, KCCA is planning to start demolishing structures that have been built on the drainage channel across the city (See: ‘KCCA to demolish structures built on drainage channels’ in the Daily Monitor of October 21).
Should the demolition programme take off, it will affect several properties in the city, including Somotrade, Java House and Anisuma Electronics, Sunmaker Oil and Gas Training Institute, and Aquva International building, among others.
Ideally, the move by KCCA should bring a sigh of relief to all Kampala residents, visitors and people transiting through the city. This is especially the case considering the fact that whenever it rains in Kampala and its suburbs, business activities as well as human and motor traffic, nearly come to standstill.
The Namungoona-Kyebando main channel on the Northern Bypass, is one of the dangerous spots every time it rains as it has claimed many lives. Also the Nalukolongo and the Clock Tower channels are often filled with silt and garbage.
So every time it rains, the area gets flooded from Nateete through Nalukolongo Industrial Area to Ndeeba as water tries to find its own way. Consequently, this leads to the flooding of Kampala after a downpour.
However, the disturbing question is, considering the fact that this is not the first time KCCA is announcing a mission to embark on demolishing properties sitting on the city’s drainage channel, what are its chances of succeeding this time round? Has KCCA overcome what made it fail to accomplish similar mission in the past?
Going forward, it is important that KCCA works together with Nema if it is to make a difference in its quest to rid Kampala of floods.
As an agency responsible for protecting wetlands and the environment generally, a joint operation of KCCA and Nema will mean the former killing two birds with one stone.
Part of the cause of flooding in Kampala is the construction of concrete on wetlands and green cover in and around, that would have absorbed the water before spreading to the surface.
In playing their complementary roles, Nema should evict developers who have occupied wetlands thereby denying water its space.
On the other hand, KCCA should pull down structures that have been erected on drainage channels. When both the authorities accomplish their mission, Kampala City will return to normalcy, with or without rain.
