Bukasa Residents Abandon Homes As Nakivubo Channel Floods

Residents of Yoka village in Bukasa parish, Makindye Division are living in fear of an outbreak of cholera and other preventable diseases as a result of flooding from the Nakivubo water channel.

 

The residents are now accusing Makindye officials of failing to come to their rescue despite many complaints raised to the division offices.

 

Fred Mwesige, the LC1 chairperson for Yoka village, says residents have now abandoned their homes as dirty water enters their make-shift houses, which are on the verge of collapsing.

 

Yoka village is a slum located at the edge of Bugolobi- Muyenga which is about 3miles from Kampala city. Most structures in the area have been constructed in a wetland.

 

Mwesige says that whenever it rains heavily, rubbish piles up and blocks water in the channel. Water then diverts into people’s houses.

 

The LC1 chairman explains that several organizations such as the Red-Cross have visited the area and pledged to assist those affected but the promises have not been honored.

 

Peter Ouma, a resident of Yoka says they tried several times to raise their concerns to the Makindye division authorities under the leadership of former LC 3 chairman, Moses Kalungi, but nothing was done.

 

Isima Bolerenge, another resident of Yoka says that they are planning to demonstrate at Makindye division offices.

 

Makindye Mayor, Ian Clerk, says that the Nakivubo channel works is set to begin any time noting that funds have been earmarked by the Kampala capital city authority under the World Bank funded projects.

 

Early last week, the Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago said that about 20 billion shillings was earmarked to kick start the expansion of the Nakivubo water channel in order to have a flood-free city.

 

Lukwago says that the expansion which is to begin from Kawala, Namungoona, Bwaise, and through the Luzira stretch, is to take about 18 months.