Am The Mayor

Flooding in Kampala will not end simply by opening more drainage channels, widening existing drains, or even demolishing buildings in wetlands. Those measures may reduce pressure in some areas, but every rainy season the same problem returns. The reality is that surface drainage alone cannot carry the volume of stormwater produced by a rapidly growing city. Kampala’s flooding problem is structural. As urbanization increases, more land is covered by concrete, asphalt, and rooftops. Rainwater no longer soaks into the ground. It rushes quickly into drains, overwhelming them and pushing water back into streets, homes, and businesses, particularly in low-lying areas that naturally drain toward Lake Victoria. The permanent solution is a deep underground stormwater tunnel system built using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). With a total investment of about UGX 9 trillion to UGX 15 trillion, Kampala can construct large underground drainage tunnels 15 to 30 meters below the surface. These tunnels would collect stormwater from across the city and safely channel it to controlled discharge points into Lake Victoria. This engineering solution offers major advantages: • No land compensation required • No demolition of homes or businesses • Minimal disruption on the surface • A lifespan of 80 to 100 years With only eight TBMs working simultaneously, the main underground network could be completed in about three years. Instead of endlessly widening drains and repairing roads after floods, Kampala can build a permanent system that removes stormwater efficiently and protects the city for generations. For this reason, Kampala Capital City Authority should urgently begin engaging development partners and financial institutions to secure financing for this project as soon as possible. The longer the city delays, the more it continues to spend on temporary fixes that do not solve the problem. In simple terms: Surface fixes manage the symptoms. Deep stormwater tunnels solve the problem once and for all.