Nansana Residents Clash Over Demolition of Community-Funded Bridge

What the report says

Residents in Lugoba-Kazinga, Nansana Municipality in Wakiso District, are divided after part of a community-funded bridge was demolished, according to Nile Post. Some residents say the structure contributed to flooding around the drainage channel, while others argue that tearing it down will only make it harder for people to move around the area.

The dispute reportedly escalated when residents discovered neighbours using tools to dismantle the bridge, which had been built through local contributions to improve access across the drainage channel. Those opposing the demolition said the bridge had been an important link for households in the community and that its removal could especially affect children, older people and others who rely on it for daily travel.

Local leaders quoted in the report urged calm and dialogue. The area’s Defence Secretary, Joseph Kizito, criticised the destruction and said residents should resolve disagreements peacefully. Former Nansana Municipality deputy mayor Isaac Keith Ssali, who helped spearhead the bridge’s construction, also said the better response to flooding would be clearing blocked drainage channels rather than removing infrastructure.

The incident reflects a wider challenge in flood-prone urban communities: balancing drainage concerns with the need to preserve locally funded infrastructure. Nile Post reported that residents want a lasting solution to flooding that avoids further damage to community assets.