By Sharon Natukunda the 2nd Queen-Miss Climate Change Awareness Uganda
The recent floods in Kampala have once again brought the city to a standstill streets submerged, homes destroyed, and businesses paralyzed.
While many point fingers at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), KCCA and other Stakeholders for failing to prevent such disasters, the reality is far more complex.
Flooding in Kampala is not just a climate change issue; it’s a deep-rooted urban planning failure exacerbated by poor drainage systems, unchecked development, and a lack of consideration for the city’s natural landscape.
Kampala, a city built on seven hills, naturally has valleys in between low-lying areas that are inherently prone to water accumulation.
However, instead of designing infrastructure that works with this terrain, we have allowed settlements, roads, and commercial structures to take over without proper drainage solutions.
The city’s stormwater management system, built decades ago, is now outdated and overwhelmed by rapid urban expansion.
Many drainage channels are clogged with waste, while wetland areas nature’s own flood buffers are continuously encroached upon and converted into residential or commercial properties.
This is not just Kampala’s problem. Cities like Dar es Salaam face similar challenges. Unregulated construction, poor waste management, and inadequate urban planning have turned once-thriving wetlands into concrete jungles, leaving no space for excess rainwater to drain naturally.
Every heavy downpour turns into a crisis, yet after the waters recede, the conversation fades until the next flood.
So, who is responsible?
The authorities for failing to enforce proper planning regulations? Developers for prioritizing profit over sustainability? Or all of us for ignoring the warning signs and allowing this vicious cycle to continue?
The truth is, solving this crisis requires a shift in how we design and manage our cities. As a country we must invest in modern drainage systems, protect and restore wetlands, and integrate geomorphology into urban planning.
Sustainable development is not just an option; it’s a necessity. If we don’t act now, we will find ourselves asking the same questions every rainy season only with even more devastating consequences.
Lets all be vigilant about our actions,floods will not only affect the City developers or the Government but all of us are effected equally.
