Bwaise Residents Raise Alarm Over Lubigi Channel as Flooding, Deaths Persist

What the report says

Residents of Katoogo Zone in Bwaise, Kampala, are urging Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to act on problems around the Lubigi drainage channel, which they say have contributed to repeated flooding, damaged roads and safety risks during the rainy season. According to Nile Post, locals blame soil left behind after earlier desilting work for blocking smaller drainage lines and sending water back into homes and surrounding communities.

The residents said the blocked channels affect densely populated areas including St Francis, Katoogo and Bugalani. They also said floodwater has worsened sanitation conditions and could undo community efforts to improve hygiene in an area that has long struggled with waste disposal and overcrowding. Some residents said they have tried to clear the drains themselves, but that the problem keeps returning after heavy rainfall.

Nile Post reported that the damaged road near the channel has become difficult and dangerous to use, especially for pedestrians and motorists. Residents said slips and falls into the drainage channel have already led to serious harm, and they fear more deaths if nothing changes. A search was reportedly underway for a person believed to have fallen from the road into the channel at the time of the visit.

KCCA spokesperson Daniel Nuwabine said the authority would engage affected communities and relevant teams to look for solutions. He also cautioned residents against building in drainage corridors and warned children not to play in floodwaters.