Kampala residents face devastation after floods claimed lives and destroyed homes. With growing frustration, they blame government mismanagement, inadequate compensation, and poor waste disposal for worsening the situation.
When we arrived at Mulimira Zone in Bukoto, Kamwokya, we found residents, especially chapati vendors, in distress. We learned that they had spent the night in mourning and were trying to raise money to retrieve the body of their fellow resident, Moses, from Mulago mortuary.
Moses, who was 30 years old, was among those who lost their lives in yesterday's floods. His friends watched helplessly as he was swept away.
"He was saving a child, but he didn't manage to save himself."
A short distance from where Moses used to sit with his friends, we found the home where two children, Otim Kisa Eliza (3 years old) and Ochaka Chon (11 months old), used to live.
The house was locked, and we learned that their father was out looking for burial expenses.
"The father was present at the time of his wife's arrest," says Mwanje Umar, a youth leader in the area. "He is a security guard and left earlier to make preparations."
In Katoogo village, Kinawataka, the situation was also dire yesterday as floods cut off the area. We found Oscar Atiem trying to salvage the remaining part of his house.
He told us that on the fateful night, his wife, who was about to leave for work, was forced to stay home due to the heavy downpour.
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Just as she entered the house, the floodwaters rushed in, forcing them to flee and seek shelter at a neighbour's place.
As they sought safety, they suddenly heard a loud noise, and when they checked, their house had been washed away.
"In five minutes, the wall was down," he recalls with a shudder.
Atiem is still in shock, especially since his children were at school when the disaster struck. He is not the only one who lost his home.
The local shrine in this area was also destroyed, and residents are still trying to figure out who the rightful owner is. Elsewhere, residents are still trapped in the water, just as they were yesterday.
The residents blame the government for their suffering, accusing it of stopping them from selling their land but failing to compensate them, leaving them stranded.
"For 15 years, they told us not to renovate our houses, not to move, nor sell," laments Kobusigye Jane. "What are we supposed to do?" she questions, frustration clearly written on her face.
Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi visited Mulimira, where residents showed him the extent of the damage.
Ssenyonyi and other leaders placed the blame on the government for failing to plan the city properly.
"This speaks to leadership," says Ssenyonyi. "We have big companies setting up in swamps, yet it's the ordinary people who are harassed."
However, some people were also criticized for carelessly disposing of garbage, which contributes to clogged drainage systems.
"We, as residents, just dispose of the garbage anyhow," says Mawejje.
Meanwhile, the rain started again this morning, worsening the situation for Kampala residents, especially those in flood-prone areas.
