Lubigi channel soil worsens flooding in Kampala
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Nile Post
In Bwaise, in the Ugandan capital Kampala, residents accuse piles of soil from the desilting of the Lubigi channel of blocking small drains and worsening flooding, which has already caused deaths. The chair of Katoogo Zone is asking the city authority to remove the soil and clear the drains before further rain causes more casualties.
Soil left behind after desilting the Lubigi channel is worsening flooding in Katoogo, Bwaise, Kampala, by blocking small drainage channels and damaging a community road. Residents accuse the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) of leaving the piles of soil along the banks, where rain carries them into secondary drainage networks, according to David Luzindana, chair of Katoogo Zone.
Floodwater enters homes during the rainy season, exposing families to diseases linked to poor sanitation. The affected channels serve the neighbourhoods of St Francis, Katoogo and Bugalani. David Luzindana is calling for the accumulated soil to be removed and waterways reopened to reduce the risk of further flooding.
Katoogo has more than 10,000 residents and suffers from overcrowding, illegal rubbish dumping and a lack of sanitation facilities. Residents and local officials have nevertheless introduced community initiatives, including recycling waste into charcoal briquettes, to improve the neighbourhood’s hygiene.
