Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has pledged to work closely with traders affected by the recent floods in the city’s central business district to restore their businesses and implement long-term measures to prevent similar disasters in the future.
The commitment was made during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Monday, following the severe flooding on October 31 that submerged several prominent arcades, including Freedom Center, Pentagon City Plaza, Capital Center, French Plaza, Nabukeera Plaza, Premier Center, Nana Center, Sekaziga, and Total Plaza. The floods left traders counting substantial losses.
During the meeting, KCCA officials commended the traders for their calm response and assured them of government support. The Authority instructed that each affected arcade nominate two representatives to work directly with KCCA’s technical team to register all impacted traders.
The registration process will be coordinated by Sheilah Burungi, the Director of Gender, Production, and Community Services.
“Each arcade will submit two representatives and a verified list of traders. This will help us capture genuine cases and coordinate government assistance effectively,” said Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki apologised for not visiting traders immediately after the floods but emphasised that the Authority is taking decisive steps to prevent future occurrences.
“We are investigating whether the flooding was caused by ongoing drainage works by Ham Enterprises or other contributing factors. We will act on our findings and ensure such incidents do not happen again,” Buzeki said.
Buzeki highlighted KCCA’s focus on sustainable flood control measures, including upgrading drainage infrastructure, enforcing stricter building compliance, and strengthening
collaboration with developers and traders.
“Our goal is to build a flood-resilient, vibrant city that is better prepared for the future,” she said.
KCCA’s Deputy Director for Roads and Drainage, Maurice Kerania, added that six water pumps were deployed immediately to clear the flooded buildings, restoring normalcy by the weekend.
“As KCCA, we share your pain and will continue to strengthen the drainage network to prevent future flooding,” Kerania said.
The Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), led by Mwanje Asuman, urged a temporary halt to Ham Enterprises’ renovation activities until proper inspections are completed. Kampala RCC Lule Mawiya, who also attended the meeting, reiterated the government’s continued support for affected traders.
KCCA has assured traders that the registration process and investigations will be conducted transparently, and all genuine cases of loss will be addressed promptly.