River Mayanja Floods for Third Time, Destroys Property as Residents Demand Government Intervention

What the report says

River Mayanja overflowed after heavy overnight rainfall, submerging the road that links Gombe Division in Nansana Municipality with Mende in Kakiri Sub-county in Wakiso District, according to Nile Post. The flooding made the crossing impassable for motorists and pedestrians and left several vehicles, including heavy trucks, stranded.

Residents said the incident has happened before and described it as the third major flood at the same point. They blamed the repeated problem on small culverts under the road and urged the Ministry of Works and Transport to rebuild the crossing with larger drainage structures. Local accounts said the water damaged houses, destroyed crops and household property, and swept away motorcycles.

One resident, Musa Kizitu, said a woman and a child were swept by the current but were rescued alive. Residents and local leaders warned that the situation is especially worrying because many schoolchildren use the route and are preparing for national examinations. Officers and local officials visited the site to assess the damage, and leaders said they would raise the matter with district authorities and relevant government agencies.

The report highlights a wider infrastructure concern common in flood-prone areas: when drainage is undersized or poorly maintained, roads can be cut off, disrupting travel, trade and access to services until a more permanent engineering fix is put in place.