Maverick Kampala City affairs minister Christopher Kabuye Kyofatogabye has shielded businessman Hamis Kiggundu the proprietor of Ham enterprises limited after warnings to traders on impending deadly floods in the city.
Kabuye revealed that a resolution was passed by government not to compensate traders in Kampala who will be affected by floods resulting from heavy rains which are expected at the end of August up to December.
“We have been telling those traders to vacate from buildings and sit on water sources but they have continued to ignore us. They should know that we are not going to waste taxpayers’ money because they are defying government advice,” Kabuye said.
He disclosed that investigations were made and the findings were that the floods that happened in the city business district were not caused by Nakivubo drainage channels as many have been alleging.
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He said that Kiggundu has collaborated well with government agencies to clear Nakivubo drainage channels for safe movement of water noting that the problem currently is with the other landlords who built on water sources.
He insisted that traders especially those operating downtown should vacate ground floors otherwise they risk losing their goods again.
The development comes at a time when traders’ leadership are still demanding Shs20bn which President Museveni directed to be given to traders who lost their goods in the October up to December floods in the city last year.
Former Kampala city Lord Mayor Erias Ssalongo Lukwago and a section of traders accused Kiggundu of causing the said floods after blocking the drainage channels when he built on top of it illegally.
Lukwago and Kampala senior minister Hajat Minsa Kabanda further accused National Unity Platform (NUP) city councilors of creating the whole mess.
Kabanda also accused the former Speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among over the Nakivubo channel mess.
