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Flood City: Heavy rain leaves travelers stranded in Kampala
Motorists and pedestrians wade through a flooded section of Kinawataka Katoogo road in Kampala following a heavy downpour on March 26, 2025. Photo/ Geofrey Mutumba
What you need to know:
- Traffic police earlier advised motorists to use alternative routes or wait for water to subside.
The Wednesday morning down pour in Kampala and its surroundings has left hundreds of travelers stranded due to flooded and impassable roads.
The rain that lasted hours started in the wee hours of Wednesday morning cutting off several roads that lead to or from the city centre.
Several images and videos seen by this publication show motorists stranded with submerged cars on most roads, including a section of Kampala-Jinja highway at Kyambogo, Kinawataka (Katogo), Kyebando, Najjera, Kyebando, part of the Northern Bypass and the Queens way that was officially launched by President Museveni early this month.
Traffic police earlier advised motorists to use alternative routes or wait for water to subside.
"Due to heavy rainfall this morning, the areas of Banda, Kyambogo & Kinawataka (Katogo) have become impassable. Motorists are advised to use the Northern Bypass as an alternative route to avoid delays and inconveniences. Alternatively, please be patient and wait until the water subsides," traffic police spokesperson, SP Michael Kananura posted on his X handle.
"Due to heavy rainfall this morning, the areas of Banda, Kyambogo and Kinawataka (Katogo) have become impassable. Motorists are advised to use the Northern Bypass as an alternative route to avoid delays and inconveniences. Alternatively, please be patient and wait until the water subsides," traffic police spokesperson, SP Michael Kananura posted on his X handle.
Later, Mr Kananura posted; "Be informed that parts of the Northern Bypass are also impassable due to flooding. We urge all motorists to exercise extreme caution and patience until the water subsides" an advised motorists not to attempt to drive through flooded areas, as vehicles can become buoyant and lose traction.
"It's better to delay your journey or postpone it altogether than to risk your life," he said.
As the rainy season begins, the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has issued the following safety tips;
Hazardous driving conditions can arise from:
- Fog and mist
- Heavy rainfall
- Flooded roads
- Reduced visibility
Ensure your safety on the road;
1. Maintain your vehicle, check tires, brakes & lights to ensure they're in good working condition.
2. Slow down, reduce speed & maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
3. Avoid flooded areas, don’t drive through standing water, as it can be difficult to gauge the depth & may cause your vehicle to stall or be swept away.
4. Increase visibility, use headlights & ensure windshield wipers are in good condition to improve your visibility.
5. Avoid overtaking and reduce the risk of crashes by avoiding overtaking, especially in poor visibility conditions.
6. Pull over if visibility is extremely poor, find a safe place to park and wait until conditions improve
