Heavy Rains Submerge Kampala’s Nakivubo, Sparking Criticism Over Channel Project
KAMPALA – A severe downpour on Thursday, October 30, 2025, inundated the bustling Nakivubo commercial district in Kampala, leaving a trail of destruction and significant financial losses for local traders.
The floodwaters submerged numerous shops, with areas like Container Village being particularly hard-hit. Business owners were forced to watch helplessly as their merchandise and property were damaged by the rising water, bringing commercial activity to a standstill.
This latest flooding incident has cast a renewed and critical spotlight on the ongoing redevelopment of the Nakivubo Channel, a project spearheaded by businessman Hamis Kiggundu. Critics, including Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, contend that the project’s design effectively narrows the natural waterway, worsening overflow during heavy rains. They point to the current situation as evidence that the project, despite being temporarily halted by authorities in the past, is contributing to the very problem it was meant to solve.
In the aftermath, affected traders and officials from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) are voicing strong demands. Calls for compensation for the losses suffered are growing, alongside urgent appeals for better drainage maintenance. There is also increasing pressure for future construction to strictly adhere to environmental and engineering recommendations to prevent a repeat of such destructive incidents, especially as the rainy season continues.
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