By KT Reporter
Traders in downtown Kampala are demanding compensation from the government after losing billions of shillings worth of products in the night’s floods.
Kampala and its metropolitan areas experienced a heavy downpour during the night, which left the ground floors of several buildings in downtown Kampala submerged in water, destroying millions of shillings worth of vendors’ products.
Among the affected buildings are Gaggawala, Shauliyako, Nabukera, and Ham arcades, among several others, resulting in destroyed goods and damaged properties.
Since morning, vendors have been busy bailing water out of their shops and retrieving salvageable merchandise, including clothes, mattresses, and electronic appliances. However, some buildings remain locked, with waterlogged interiors, as traders choose to return home, taking stock of the damage.
Earlier, the situation escalated when a section of angry affected traders took to the streets, forcing others who had opened to close their shops and join the protest against the continued damage to their goods by flooding without any serious interventions made by authorities.
However, the situation was quickly brought under control by police and military deployment, forcing the agitated traders to retreat.
Most of the affected traders who spoke to URN attribute the flooding to the construction of Nakivubo drainage channels by businessman Ham Kiggundu, which they claim has exacerbated the problem.
Hussein Matovu, a trader, is calling on the government and Hamis Kiggundu to compensate vendors for their losses. Many traders were operating on loans and are now facing challenges repaying them due to the flood damage.
Edward Ntale, a trader, has warned landlords against increasing shop rents, which he claims is being planned. He also stated that traders will not pay licenses to KCCA until the flooding issue in Kampala, allegedly caused by businessman Hamis Kiggundu, is resolved.
“KCCA has completely failed us; they haven’t acted to our rescue, and not even enforcement teams to help us get water out of buildings. What’s going on? Nothing! They should know we’re gonna organize and stage a ‘no tax’ protest. They’re highly blamed for this failure to take charge.” Ntale said.
Issa Ssekito, acting Chairperson of KACITA, emphasizes that the issue is widespread and demands a lasting solution through collaboration between landlords and government agencies.
Nakawa East MP Ronald Balimwezo, who is also contesting for the Kampala City Lord Mayor position, visited the affected traders. He suggested that the affected individuals should be compensated for their losses.
Balimwezo, a Civil Engineer, further stated that the drainage channels meant to clear water from shops are clogged, exacerbating the situation.
Observations indicate that the floods have affected even the new taxi park, bringing a lot of mud. Taxi drivers were seen using squeezers to clean up the mud caused by the floods, making the taxi park impassable for passengers.
There is high traffic congestion in downtown Kampala, partly due to vendors and traders occupying the streets, further complicating movement. By press time, the army and police had been heavily deployed downtown to prevent any potential uprising.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
