Leaders urged to put public welfare first after deadly floods

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Uganda is reeling from last week’s devastating floods in Kampala, which left parts of the city submerged, at least seven people dead, and critical infrastructure exposed as inadequate.

Reverend Simon Peter Ddembe Lyayesu, director of missions for the Church of Uganda, blamed the crisis on selfish leadership, arguing that true resilience requires addressing the root causes.

Speaking during the celebrations of the last Friday of March at the Office of the President in Kampala, Reverend Ddembe emphasised that storms—both literal, like the floods, and metaphorical—often stem from deep-rooted selfishness.

He noted that addressing these crises requires more than resilience; it demands tackling the root causes.

Drawing a direct link between the floods and the actions—or inaction—of leaders, he pointed out that selfishness is at the heart of the problem.

Leaders who prioritise personal interests over public welfare enable corruption and mismanagement to persist.

Despite past infrastructure projects in areas like Bwaise, many remain incomplete or poorly maintained, highlighting a system where short-term gains outweigh long-term solutions.

Rev. Ddembe warned that selfish leadership fosters societal breakdown.

“People who focus solely on their survival, building empires of wealth and power, create a storm that cannot be ignored,” he said, urging citizens to recognise that such leadership breeds inequality, leaving the vulnerable to suffer the most.

He also linked disobedience and negligence in leadership to these crises. Citing the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, he argued that when entrusted leaders neglect their responsibilities, the entire nation bears the consequences.

“The right people were given the responsibility to prevent this crisis, but they chose the wrong direction,” he lamented, describing the floods as a symptom of systemic failure.

Furthermore, Rev. Ddembe pointed out that emotional and spiritual wounds often influence leadership decisions.

A leader consumed by personal grievances or self-interest, he said, is unlikely to make decisions that serve the common good.

He added that competition driven by selfish ambition leads to division, further destabilising society.

A call for solutions

However, Ddembe did not merely criticise; he proposed solutions.

He urged both leaders and citizens to depend on truth rather than rumours or hearsay.

He stressed the need for leaders to focus on justice and integrity rather than short-term personal gains.

“The second step is to trust in God, recognising that leadership is a responsibility entrusted by a higher authority. True leadership requires humility and accountability,” he said.

Rev. Ddembe noted that Uganda’s persistent challenges stem from a lack of respect for leaders. He called for a shift in mindset, where both leaders and citizens honour authority, which he described as essential to overcoming societal storms.

Need for better planning

He also underscored the importance of planning ahead, warning that in today’s world, surprises are no longer acceptable.

Using the analogy of a builder who fails to plan and ends up with an unfinished project, he argued that Kampala’s floods could have been prevented with better planning and leadership that prioritised public welfare over personal gain.

State Minister for Ethics and Integrity, Rose Akello, echoed similar sentiments. “Today, the theme of overcoming the storm resonates deeply with me, especially during this season of Lent when God tests our strength and faith through challenges,” she said.

She encouraged Ugandans to find inspiration in the biblical story of Job, who endured immense suffering but ultimately prevailed.

“Let us pray with sincerity, not just with words, but from the heart,” she urged. “Only then can we face the storms in our lives, both personal and national.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Akello reflected on Uganda’s environmental crisis, attributing the floods to encroachment on wetlands and drainage systems.

“We are creating these problems for ourselves,” she stated. “The President has warned us about this, and nature is now punishing us.”

She urged Ugandans to respect the environment and halt construction in wetlands. “Let’s stop building in the swamps, or soon we will all be living in floods,” she pleaded.

A call for collective responsibility

Rev. Ddembe urged Ugandans to hold their leaders accountable but also to take collective responsibility.

He emphasised that Uganda can only overcome future storms by addressing selfishness and embracing leadership founded on truth, integrity, and vision.

Dunstan Balaba, the permanent secretary of the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity, echoed this concern, noting that leaders often fail to hold themselves accountable.

“When leaders do not take responsibility, the result is a storm that wipes away even the little progress we have made,” he said.

He called on leaders to work together to develop solutions that allow Uganda to advance despite limited resources.