HAS THE BWAISE-LUBIGI DRAINAGE CHANNEL HELPED

TO SOLVE THE FLOODING PROBLEM IN BWAISE?

The channel has improved the situation in the area. However, it would be more effective if the residents of Bwaise were clever enough to maintain the tributaries

open and unsilted. The effectiveness of the channel has been greatly reduced by poor garbage disposal habits

causing poor sanitation in the area.

Voice of Mr. Peter Kaujju, public relations

officer Kampala City Council Authority.

There is a man, allegedly mentally unstable throwing garbage into fools water in Bwaise on 27th May, 2014. Although this man is mentally unstable, the mentally stable

stood by as he did this without anybody stopping him.

Poor drainage combined with poor garbage disposal have made Bwaise unattractive. With places like these, it has encouraged poor human waste and irresponsibility among

the residents.

This trench is silted and in case of heavy rainfall, there are high chances of flooding in this area.

The poor sanitation in the area is not only to do with disposal of human waste. Water sources like the tap in the photo have dirty surroundings where children play when they

have come to fetch water.

Poor garbage disposal leads to such a situation. A lot of garbage collects on the tributary bridges and hinders the flow of runoff hence flooding on the road and in

compounds.

This is a flooded compound in Bwaise 3, Bugalani zone. The algae on top of the water shows that this condition has been so for a long time. The residents of this homestead

have done little to solve it.

All that has been done to enable the water to flow out of the compound is digging this trench. The pipe that is supposed to flow the water into the tributary is covered with

rubbish and the trench is poorly dug that water does not flow off the compound.

On 27th May 2014, there was a partial flood on the road.

Students on their way from school had to wad through the flood.

Crossing to the other side was quite tricky for those who had no patience.

Others used boda boda to go across the flooded area.

Those who could not afford boda bodas hung onto big trucks to get across.

The flooding was so bad that it was in front of the buildings so people would not even use verandas to get to the other side. All they could do was to take shelter on the

verandas and wait for the flood to subside. This took about 30minutes.

This is the part of the road that had earlier been flooded.

When the flood had subsided, there was garbage floating on the tributary. Mostly, rubbish is piled beside the tributary which makes it easy for it to flow into the tributary

during a heavy down pour.

Due to flooding, there are structures that are filled with rubbish and water. This is not from recent flooding but from a long period,

Children play a long dirty trenches and this is dangerous to their health as they may contract diseases.

Flow of water on the Bwaise-Lubigi channel.

Contrary to the rate at which the water on the channel flows, water from the tributaries rushes into the channel leading to rapid raise in the water levels on

the channel.

There is noticeable difference in the water levels on the channel in the photo above after heavy rain and the one below after light rains.

Why some parts of the channel on some occasions are almost dry and this is blamed on the difference in width of the channel, I would think this as an

advantage on rainy days. This should give the channel capacity to hold most of the runoff and prevent flooding.

Voice of LC1 Bwaise Bugalani zone Mr. Armstrong Waswa Kasilivu.

Generally, the water is the problem. We thought the channel would help but it has not.

It is the residents who throw garbage into the galleys. KCCA cannot monitor such behaviour since it is done during the down pours.

The garbage collects in Kawala where there is a net in the channel. This also causes flooding since the water cannot flow.

At first, KCCA had garbage bins around but they are not there any more. We need them to bring back the bins so that the residents will stop littering the galleys.

Most residents think the local authority will ask for money to clean the area which makes it difficult to mobilise for community cleaning.

Local authorities have stated their difficulties to KCCA.

Voice of a resident, Mr. Moses Ntege German.

Whenever the runoff starts to flow, a lot of people throw their rubbish into the galleys.

Therefore, the rubbish is washed into the galleys leading to clogging.

That results into flooding since the water cannot flow properly.

However, further down the channel there was soil poured and the channel almost blocked.

City council employees come and collect the garbage, the residents have never taken the initiative to clean out the galleys.

Conclusion

• Therefore, at the end of the day the garbage disposal behaviour of the residents affects the effectiveness of the channel.

• It is very important that the residents join in the maintenance of the channel and its tributaries.

• Local authorities should be empowered to mobilise for community cleaning activities.