Boy dies in Kampala floods

 

Floods that engulfed Kampala suburbs today morning killed a two year old boy in Ssembule zone in Kabowa parish Rubaga division. 

 

Brain Mulindwa died after he fell and drowned in the floods while following his mother Faridah Nalweyiso who had gone to the nearby shop to buy bread. 

 

His mother said due to floods that had engulfed all walk paths and neighboring houses, she was forced to stay at the shop for over 30minutes. 

 “I left him in bed and little did I expect him to follow me. When I came back I had to search but could not find him anywhere in the house,” Nalweyiso said. 

 

Joined by neighbours, she mounted a search before recovering the body of the boy stuck in the nearby sugarcane plantation next to latrines. 

 

New vision however, failed to access the scene due to floods that had engulfed the houses in the area after the rain that lasted for over six hours.

 

According to Abas Ssematimba the area Chairman, the incident happened at around 10am. 

He attributed the cause of floods in the area to the blockage of Nalukolongo channel where an Indian has dumped marrum to Ambitious Construction Company.  

 

“This marrum has narrowed the drainage system making it difficult for water to flow when it rains. 

He also added that floods are rampant due to irresponsible residents who dump garbage in the drainage system blocking the water flow. 

 

“People throw garbage in the channels. So when this garbage is washed down, it blocks the drainage near the road and thus the overflow,” he said.

 

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman Ibin Ssenkumbi confirmed the incident and advised parents to be conscious and guard their children during this rain season. 

 

He said police statistics; at least a dozens of people have died in city flood-related incidents since the rains started last month in Kampala.

 

Recently the Commissioner of Meteorology Michael Nkalubo warned of the impeding disasters likely to be caused by the heavy rains forecasted in the short rain season between September to December.

 

Meanwhile business was paralyzed around Kampala and its suburbs, making it hard for city dwellers to report to work on time as several roads were jammed.