Former government spokesperson and long-serving National Resistance Movement (NRM) member Ofwono Opondo has faulted the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for the persistent flooding crisis in the city, saying the authority has failed in its oversight role regarding the Nakivubo Channel redevelopment project.
Speaking during NBS Frontline on Thursday evening, Opondo argued that KCCA bears primary responsibility for Kampala’s worsening drainage problems, not city developer Hamis Kiggundu, commonly known as Ham, whose ongoing redevelopment of Nakivubo Stadium and its surrounding areas has come under intense public scrutiny.
“KCCA is where the incompetence is because they should have gone back to the President with recommendations on the Nakivubo channel. I wouldn’t make Ham one of the top three problems in Kampala. He didn’t give himself Nakivubo channel,” he said.
Opondo’s remarks come amid mounting public anger as torrential rains continue to paralyze the capital. In recent weeks, flash floods have submerged major parts of the Central Business District and several low-lying suburbs, including Kisenyi, Katwe, Bwaise, and areas surrounding the Nakivubo Channel.
The flooding has disrupted business operations, destroyed property, and caused severe traffic gridlock across key routes.
Residents and traders have accused developers of altering or obstructing natural drainage paths during the Nakivubo redevelopment project, claiming that the works have worsened the situation. The project—touted as a state-of-the-art sports and recreation hub—was initially expected to improve both infrastructure and flood management in downtown Kampala.
However, with floodwaters repeatedly inundating key commercial zones, public confidence in KCCA’s urban planning and regulatory enforcement has sharply declined. Critics say the city authority has failed to ensure proper environmental assessment and drainage integration during the redevelopment process.