Lukwago blames city floods on encroachment, lack of funding

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has partly blamed the chronic deadly city floods on encroachment on major drainage channels by some city tycoons and failure by government to compensate people to give way for the construction of drainage channels.

Speaking to the media in Kampala on March 27, 2025, Mr Lukwago said that year in year out, the issue of financing Kampala Drainage Master Plan (KDMP) has been clustered amongst the unfunded priorities, and this means the government has not considered the issue of fixing drainages in Kampala as one of the key priorities.

“In the coming financial year, our budget is Shs827b but what is there for drainage is Shs3.2b for maintenance of 67.7 kilometres of primary and major secondary drainages,” he said.

The Lord Mayor added that in the entire budget of Shs827bn, there is no single coin allocated towards construction of drainage channels in Kampala.

“Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) requires a substantial budget of not less than Shs6.5tn to rehabilitate the 149km, reconstructing 232 kilometres of roads and upgrading 640 kilometres of unpaved roads over the next ten years,” he said.

He added that according to KCCA‘s KDMP, the authority needs Shs805,766,720,000 ($220m) to improve both its primary and secondary drainage channels.

“Over ten years’ period, KCCA needs annually equivalent to Shs83.6b to fully implement KDMP and between Shs50 to 60b annually to maintain its roads and drainage infrastructure effectively,” he said.

He added that in the financial year 2024/2025, 67.7 of drains were planned to be desilted at a cost of Shs3,249,024,000 however, calls orders worth Shs2,615,132,000 were prepared for the emergency works in Kitezi landfill following the landslide.

“As a result of the deficit in funding, many of the planned work for the financial year cannot be implemented,” he said.

State of drainage system in Kampala

Mr Lukwago said that the existing Kampala drainage inventory indicates that we have drainage system comprised of 86.3 kilometres of primary drainage channels and 203.2 kilometers of secondary channels and several tertiary and community drains.

“In 2016, we developed Kampala drainage master plan (KDMP) following the consultancy which was given to us by experts and they identified eight major drainage channels from amongst the primary channels”, he said.

He added that the Major channels include ; Nakivubo, Lubigi, Nalukolongo, Kansanga , Mayanja, Kinawataka , Nalubaga and Walufumbe which needed to be fixed urgently if we were to resolve the rowing problem of floods in Kampala .

“The indicated that we needed a sum of Shs 805,766,720,000b (220m$ to deal with all the primary drainage channels,” he said.

He added that Its regrettable that up-to date KCCA has not received any coin toward financing the construction of those eight major drainage channels save for some contribution made by the World Bank toward Lubigi and Nakamiro which is a secondary channel.

“It’s unfortunate that even now Lugibi is not yet complete, there is a stretch of 900 kilometers which is yet to be constructed. Lugibi cost Shs 62b while Nakamiro costs 20b,”he said.

He also revealed that they got another intervention from World Bank and French Development Agency proposed to fix the drainage problem in Kampala with $1179m. This time round was for Kampala Metropolitan and the contribution break down was $571m, World Bank 560m$ and French agency 42.6m”,”he said.

Mr Lukwago added that the development partners fulfilled their contributed but the government did not contribute any coin yet it was meant for completion of Lubigi , construction of key drainage crossing and black spots , Mayanja channel , Nalukolongo and “In total out of 86.3 kilometres we would be able to cover 20 kilometres, “he said.

He added that due to failure by government to contribute there is no money to compensate people in the drainage reserve and the money for constructions is available but our fund is not available and likely to be recalled.

Mr Lukwago also revealed that there is problem of encroachment on the drainage channels largely by the city tycoons, we have done our best to push the institution to deal with big fish in this saga.

“The first culprit we wanted to deal with was Hamis Kiggundu who encroached on Jugula feeder channel that drains to Nakivubo and unfortunately Mr Kiggundu went on and construct a structure illegally,” he said.

H e added that due to failure by government to contribute there is no money to compensate people in the drainage reserve and the money for constructions is available but our fund is not available and likely to be recalled.

Mr Lukwago also revealed that there is problem of encroachment on the drainage channels largely by the city tycoons, we have done or best to push the institution to deal with big fish in this saga.
“The firs culprit we wanted to deal with was Hamis Kiggundu   who encroached on Jugula feeder channel that drains to Nakivubo and unfortunately Mr Kiggundu went on and construct a structure illegally,” he said 

 Mr Lukwago added that they exploded everything under the law on November 14 2024 by conducting inspection which revealed that whatever was done was illegal but still the construction went on.
“The  legal action was twofold  one by demolishing the structure and being prosecuted   but Mr Kiggundu defied and went ahead with construction and we were forced to take legal action ,” he said 
He noted that they prepared a charge  sheet suctioning  Mr Kiggundu to date there people still protecting and shielding the city tycoon .
“The jugular channel which was  blocked as feeder channel to drain Nakivubo is the one which was helping to drain clock tower ,”he said