Four people, police rescuer die in floods
People try to push a taxi that got stranded in floods after heavy rain on Namasuba-Entebbe road in 2019. PHOTODAVID LUBOWA
Five people, including a police marine officer, died and properties worth millions of shillings were destroyed after floods ravaged different parts of the city on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Sgt Godfrey Mwondah, a one Ssekitoleko, Jowelia Tumusime, 50, Agnes Naiga, 44, and her daughter Lilian Nakagodwe, 24.
Sgt Mwondah was rescuing Ssekitoleko, who was stuck in the floods when they drowned at Katoogo Village in Mbuya in Nakawa Division.
Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said their officer was found alive metres away from the scene, but he died at Kiswa Health Centre in Bugolobi, Nakawa Division.
“The body of Ssekitoleko was also found later,” Mr Owoyesigyire said.
The downpour started in the wee hours of the night and floods cut off many roads, and houses, especially in Zana on Entebbe and Jinja roads, were nearly submerged.
The floods also led to the electrocution of two people. Naiga and her daughter Nakagodwe, were both residents of Kabowa in Rubaga Division.
According to witnesses, Naiga was shocked while removing clothes from the line after floods filled her compound.
When her daughter saw the body, she tried to remove it and she was also electrocuted. Both were vendors at St Balikuddembe market in Central Kampala.
Nakagodwe left a one-month-old baby.
The area leader, Mr Abbas Ssematimba Kikulumu, said residents are living in fear of their houses getting submerged by floods.
Kampala’s flood prone areas include Bwaise, Kireka, Nateete, Nalukolongo as well as some sections of city roads.
In a recent interview, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director Andrew Kitaka said the city needs at least $200m (about Shs726 billion) to redesign all city channels.
“It is a huge amount of money but we are making attempts to see how we can get the money,” Mr Kitaka said.
Areas in Wakiso and Mukono districts were also flooded and roads cut off.
On Saturday, Jowelia Tumusime, 50, was swept away by floods and killed at Bata Bata area in Zzana on Entebbe Road.
Mr Kitaka asked people to avoid settlements in wetlands and establishing structures in water channels.
