The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has assured Parliament that measures are being taken to prevent future flooding at Entebbe International Airport, following the devastating floods in April 2024 that damaged passengers’ property.
Eng. Ayub Sooma, Director of Airports and Aviation Security, provided this assurance while appearing before the Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Wednesday.
Eng. Sooma explained that Entebbe International Airport received 30% of the country’s total rainfall during the flooding, overwhelming the existing drainage system. However, he assured the committee that a systematic upgrade of the drainage system is underway.
“There is a systematic upgrade of our drainage system which is ongoing, and we believe that very soon, when it is completed, such challenges will not easily occur,” said Sooma.
The CAA’s comments were in response to a question from Nakaseke Central MP Allan Mayanja, who expressed concern about the floods’ negative impact on the airport’s image.
“Recently, we saw floods, and people’s properties were ravaged. Can you clarify what happened and how you are working on it?” Mayanja asked.
However, Buzaaya County MP Martin Muzaale was not satisfied with the explanation about the rainfall. He argued that the airport’s higher altitude should reduce the risk of flooding, suggesting that the problem lies with the drainage system’s design.
“The explanation is not sufficient. The issue is about the drainage system. Just go back to the contractor who designed it. If you redesign the drainage system, we shall not have floods,” Muzaale noted.
In addition to addressing the drainage issues, the Director General of CAA, Fred Bamwesigye, announced plans to increase the airport’s terminal capacity.
Bamwesigye promised a “Christmas gift” of expanded terminal capacity from the current 30,000 square meters to 50,000 square meters, enabling the airport to handle over 3.5 million passengers annually.
Bamwesigye made this announcement while responding to praises from MPs on the progress made in improving the airport’s infrastructure.
“We are hoping to give this country a Christmas gift of an expanded terminal capacity. This will give us a comfortable capacity of handling 3.5 million passengers per year,” Bamwesigye said.
Mawokota South MP Yusuf Nsibambi also praised the upgrade, noting that VIPs now prefer using the general passage due to the improvements.
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