The Democratic Front (DF) Kampala chapter, led by spokesperson Moses Kasibante and chairperson Lubega Mukaaku, has called on Parliament to urgently reconvene and address the worsening flood crisis in the capital following last week’s deadly inundation around the Nakivubo drainage channel.
Addressing journalists in Kampala on Thursday, Kasibante accused the Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, of “playing to the gallery” instead of confronting what he described as a “national disaster in the making.”
He said both the opposition leadership and Kampala MPs had failed to take action despite loss of life and extensive property damage.
“Ssenyonyi has been evasive and sarcastic about the floods,” Kasibante said. “The shadow minister is also silent. People are dying and losing property, yet Parliament is quiet.”
The DF leaders argued that Parliament must discuss compensation for victims and accountability for city leaders who allegedly ignored professional advice from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive team.
Kasibante also accused the KCCA council, led by Speaker Zahrah Luyirika of the National Unity Platform (NUP), of approving the controversial redevelopment of Nakivubo Channel despite red flags from technocrats.
“They neglected recommendations by the KCCA executive in stopping construction of the channel but also took land that belongs to KCCA,” he said.
He further blamed NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya for failing to engage Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who had earlier warned of “a midnight land grab” before construction began.
“Being the SG of the party with the majority councillors, it was paramount that he meets the Lord Mayor and they discuss the letter addressed to him,” Kasibante noted.
The Nakivubo Channel, a vital drainage artery directing stormwater from Kampala’s central areas into Lake Victoria, has been undergoing redevelopment by businessman Hamis Kiggundu’s Kiham Enterprises.
However, the project sparked public outrage after severe floods on October 31, 2025, inundated Sebaana Road, Allen Road, and nearby markets, killing four people and submerging businesses.
In a November 3 letter halting the works, KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki cited multiple violations of the conditional approval issued in September, including obstruction of water flow, poor waste management, and construction debris blocking discharge points.
“The vertical formwork has worsened the situation by slowing the flow of storm water as they trap garbage and waste material,” she wrote.
DF chairperson Lubega Mukaaku said the Nakivubo Channel was “a linchpin of flood control in Kampala,” warning that tampering with it amounted to “playing with the lives of people in Kampala and the state of Uganda.”
He urged Parliament and relevant agencies to act swiftly before more rains cause further tragedy.
“The very rains that caused the losses are still on and could strike again,” he said.