Nakivubo floods: MPs want tycoon Kiggundu to pay for trader’s losses
The engagement bordered on the 2024 flooding of St Balikuddembe Market, commonly known as Owino, which city authorities say was likely caused by a combination of physical and human-induced factors. The area in question forms part of the Jugula channel, which is classified as a tributary of the Nakivubo channel.
City tycoon Hamis Kiggundu. (File photo)
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Lawmakers on Wednesday demanded that compensation for traders affected by recent floods in Kampala should be solely the responsibility of tycoon Hamis Kiggundu.
According to the legislators, the structures of the Nakivubo channel (drainage) should also be reexamined. Without following the laid-out procedures.
The proposals were made by several members of the House committee on Physical Infrastructure while interacting with a delegation from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) on Wednesday, July 15.
The session was chaired by Mwine Mpaka Rwamirama (Mbarara City South, NRM), with the KCCA team led by Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi and Director of Engineering Services Eng. Justus Akankwasa.
The engagement bordered on the 2024 flooding of St Balikuddembe Market, commonly known as Owino, which city authorities say was likely caused by a combination of physical and human-induced factors. The area in question forms part of the Jugula channel, which is classified as a tributary of the Nakivubo channel.
It stretches from the intersection of Kafumbe Mukasa Road and Hamis Kiggundu Road through the corridor between Owino Market and Nakivubo Stadium.
In November last year, several arcades were inundated, prompting the government to set aside sh20 billion to compensate affected traders.
According to official reports, 454 traders had been verified, albeit with disagreements from other trader associations.
“The country is losing a lot of money in compensating the business community that experiences floods down there. Is it the business proprietor that has put the building on top of it (channel), going to foot the compensation bill, or is it the Government?” Ilukol probed.
Adding that “If he (Hamis Kiggundu) has caused the problem, I believe he should be the one to take on this because it was not a Government problem, and if it becomes Government’s problem. The people who allowed that construction to go on and they should be accountable.”
He was backed by Soroti City East MP Moses Attan Okia (FDC), who argued that while he does not oppose urban development or have an issue with Ham as an individual, the tycoon and KCCA ought to have exercised due diligence. Which they claim never happened.
“The compensation by the Office of the Prime Minister is a burden on the taxpayer; being put on this country of Sh20b is not as a result of the citizens of this country failing but the duty bearers,” Attan argued.
KCCA responds
At the meeting, KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi said that although the Authority was not notified about construction works over the Nakivubo Channel, they later on cleared the project.
“We had a difficult project. We raised questions, and those questions had to go through a process; they were answered, and this process was formalised,” he added.
“Is there something which the ED is not disclosing. By law, the plan is approved before construction,” Nyakato added.
Bukanga North MP Nathan Byanyima (NRM) and Capt. (Rtd) Guma Gumisiriza argued that if KCCA is powerless to act, it should admit so.
“I am surprised that you are coming into dirty water with clean hands. I would like you to tell us what you did to the man at Forest Mall in Lugogo. It is on top of the channel, and he is left. When Ham started, you were there; tell us you didn’t have the power to stop him,” Byanyima squipped.
You people who are seated in offices tell us your limitations, and then we put the issue to the public for debate,” Gumisiriza further stated.
Chairpersons comments
In his ruling, Chairperson Mpaka advised KCCA to come clean on the matter because sooner or later, they might land themselves in trouble.
“You are going to end up in trouble because it is going to start raining and the floods are going to come back in those specific areas. This committee will be tasked with investigating and reporting back. Some of you who are trying to use the blue letters as an excuse: we are alive to the fact that the President’s goodwill gave Ham that part of the city,” Mpaka advised.
Efforts to reach tycoon Hamis Kiggundu for comment were unsuccessful, as several calls went unanswered.