Who is responsible for Kampala’s recurring floods?

[Da Dona]

Thursday’s heavy downpour has once again exposed Kampala’s long-running flooding problem. Roads were submerged, shops were flooded and movement was disrupted in several parts of the city, leaving businesses counting their losses.

But beyond the latest rainfall, a bigger question remains: who is responsible for Kampala’s recurring floods?

The answer is not one institution or one cause. Kampala’s flooding is linked to heavy rainfall, inadequate drainage, rapid urbanisation, wetland loss, development in drainage corridors, poor waste disposal and weaknesses in urban planning and enforcement.

1. KCCA’s responsibility
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is at the centre of the discussion because it is responsible for key aspects of the city’s roads, drainage and physical planning.

KCCA says Kampala has about 362.3 kilometres of drainage infrastructure spread across eight major catchments, but much of the network faces high flood risk. The Authority has identified illegal development in drainage corridors, wetland encroachment, rapid urbanisation and poor waste disposal among the factors worsening flooding.

KCCA has also been carrying out drainage upgrades and has identified numerous flood-prone areas. Some recent interventions have improved water flow, but recurring flooding shows that the city's drainage capacity remains under pressure.

2.The planning problem
Kampala has expanded far beyond the city its original infrastructure was designed to serve. Development has, in some areas, taken place close to or over drainage channels, restricting the movement of stormwater.

This has also become a parliamentary concern. MPs have questioned drainage capacity in areas such as Nalukolongo-Najjanankumbi, where existing channels have been described as too small to handle runoff from surrounding areas.

This raises an important accountability question: how did developments that restrict drainage corridors happen, and who was responsible for approving or enforcing the rules?

3. Wetlands are disappearing
Kampala's wetlands once provided a natural buffer for stormwater, but increasing development has reduced their capacity to absorb and slow down runoff.

The responsibility here extends beyond KCCA to national environmental agencies, including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Ministry of Water and Environment, which oversee environmental protection and wetland management.

When wetlands are degraded or built on, more water is pushed into an already pressured drainage system.

4.Waste is another part of the problem
Blocked drains are also a recurring issue. Plastic, soil and other waste can prevent stormwater from flowing freely, worsening flooding during heavy rain.

This creates shared responsibility between authorities responsible for waste collection and enforcement and residents and businesses that dispose of waste improperly.

KCCA has been increasing efforts to improve waste collection, but the scale of Kampala's waste remains a major challenge.

5. What about the rainfall?
Heavy rainfall is obviously an important trigger, and climate variability can increase the risk of intense downpours.

But rain alone does not explain why some parts of the city flood repeatedly. The impact of a heavy downpour depends largely on whether water has somewhere to go.

That is why drainage capacity, wetlands, waste management and urban planning matter.

•And now, should Uganda move its capital?
The flooding debate is also coming at a time when there is renewed discussion about whether Uganda should eventually establish a new capital outside Kampala.

•Nakasongola has previously featured in proposals for developing a new administrative centre, reflecting concerns about the pressure on Kampala and the country's long-term urban growth.

The argument is broader than flooding: Kampala faces congestion, rapid population growth, pressure on infrastructure and difficulties managing development.

But relocating the capital would not automatically solve the underlying problems. A new city would still require proper physical planning, drainage, environmental protection, waste management and development controls from the beginning.

So, who is responsible for The Kampala flooding problem?

For businesses that have repeatedly lost stock and property to floods, the debate is no longer simply about what caused Thursday's flooding.
It is about what must change before the next downpour.​