Uganda: KCCA Unveils Climate Change Risk Framework to Tackle Rising Flood Threats

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has launched a Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) Framework to guide evidence-based adaptation planning, identifying flooding as the city's most pressing climate threat.

The framework, unveiled Wednesday ,highlights Central Division as the most flood-prone with 45 villages at risk, followed by Kawempe with 36, Nakawa with 28, Rubaga with 24, and Makindye with 20.

Informal settlements are flagged as highly vulnerable, with 13.8 percent of households lacking proper drainage and nearly 40 percent of residents unable to adapt due to inadequate infrastructure and resources.

KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki said the report will shape the city's long-term climate strategy.

"This report is essential to us. It helps us strengthen resilience and adapt. In the recent past, we have faced various hazards and have been firefighting because we lacked such a framework. Now we have a structured methodology that will inform our planning, budgeting, and targeted interventions," Buzeki said.

Funded by the World Bank under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UDP), the study examined risks across health, infrastructure, water, energy, and livelihoods.

Recommendations include upgrading drainage systems, enforcing wetland and building regulations, expanding rainwater harvesting, diversifying water sources beyond Lake Victoria, and promoting climate-sensitive building designs.

Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago urged KCCA to ensure the framework leads to tangible results.

"This should not be business as usual. We must achieve the targets and objectives of these frameworks. This report is more than a technical exercise--it is a strategic tool that empowers local authorities to understand climate risks and act decisively," he said.

Consultants behind the study emphasised urgency. Saul Daniel Ddumba, NACOPART team leader, called for enforcement of environmental regulations and sustainable drainage investments to reduce urban vulnerability.

KCCA has pledged to integrate the framework into all city operations and has established a dedicated risk management unit to oversee its implementation.

Read the original article on Nile Post.