Severe flooding in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, has resulted in at least seven confirmed fatalities following a heavy downpour on March 26, 2025.
The Police Fire Prevention and Rescue Services team is still responding to ongoing emergency calls after the intense rainfall triggered significant flooding across the city. Authorities reported that fast-moving water caused motor accidents and swept pedestrians away, with several cars submerged in floodwaters on poorly maintained roads.
Among the victims were two young children who tragically drowned in their home in Mulimira Zone, Bukoto. The children, three-year-old Eliza Otim Kisa and 11-month-old Ochon Ochaka, had been locked inside the house by their mother, who has since been arrested on charges of negligence. Further fatalities included a U.S. Embassy employee, Bogere George, who drowned while riding a motorcycle in the early hours of the morning.
Kampala’s vulnerability to flooding has been attributed to a combination of factors, including encroachment on wetland areas, poor drainage systems, and inadequate urban planning. The latest disaster has once again highlighted the urgent need for improvements in the city’s infrastructure to mitigate the effects of such natural hazards. Emergency teams continue to assess the situation and provide aid to affected residents.