In what is emerging as a disturbing echo of the Kitezi landfill disaster that claimed lives due to years of official neglect, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is now under the spotlight over a developing humanitarian crisis at Bukoto Health Centre II, a public health facility serving over 50,000 people in Nakawa West.

The facility is on the verge of closure after years of deterioration and political sabotage. Yet while thousands of residents plead for medical services, evidence points to a deliberate obstruction by KCCA officials, aimed at personal enrichment and political damage.

Bukoto Health Centre II is located in a waterlogged area, near a polluted sewage channel. The structure is decaying, its walls weakened by constant water seepage, paint peeling off, and mosquito-infested pools forming around it.

KCCA, citing public health risks, announced plans to shut it down. But on March 11, 2025, angry residents from Namuli, Masalini, and Kisaasi stormed the facility, demanding to know why it was being closed without an alternative in place.

“This is the only government facility in Nakawa West. If they shut it down, are we supposed to die at home?” asked Priima Umaru, the LC III Councillor who led the protest.

Amid public outcry, a glimmer of hope came from the leadership of the Indian temple a neighboring community which offered to fund the construction of a modern facility, at no cost to the government. Their only condition: KCCA had to provide the land title and an approved building plan.

While the land had been donated by Mr. Falidi Mukiibi, a respected elder in the community, KCCA officials failed to produce the title, claiming it had gone missing. In a shocking twist, insiders revealed that KCCA officials quietly approached and misadvised the Mukiibi family not to donate the land for free, but to demand money or shares in the facility.

“The officials are not interested in service, they are looking for a cut. That’s why they’re blocking the process,” a local leader involved in the March 18 meeting told this reporter, requesting anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Healthcare stalled by Bribes

Sources also confirmed that KCCA had requested a replacement title from the Ministry of Lands, but progress stalled when ministry officials demanded bribes before processing the documents.

The leadership of the Indian temple, though still committed, has paused its support, citing KCCA’s failure to meet basic conditions for construction. “We cannot invest in a project where the paperwork is deliberately blocked, or where we are asked to pay money under the table,” said a temple trustee.

In the meantime, according to sources from city hall, KCCA has put its closure plans on hold, but has not offered any clear roadmap or communication to the community.

Culture of Corruption and Extortion

Beyond the health sector, KCCA law enforcement officers have also been accused of routine extortion, particularly against motorcycle riders, demanding between UGX 100,000 to 300,000 to release impounded bikes. These actions, residents say, are part of a growing pattern of abuse that affects the city’s most vulnerable.

Efforts by oversight bodies such as the Inspectorate of Government, CID, and State House Anti-Corruption Unit have so far yielded no visible action. “What’s the point of anti-corruption campaigns if KCCA officials continue unchecked?” asked a boda boda association leader in Nakawa.

Political Sabotage or Institutional Failure?

At the centre of the crisis lies a troubling political dimension. Analysts and local leaders argue that the situation is being deliberately mismanaged by top KCCA leadership, including the Lord Mayor and his council, to frustrate service delivery in opposition dominated areas and paint the central government as ineffective.

“They allow institutions to rot, then use the resulting outrage to blame the Executive,” noted governance analyst Sarah Namatovu. “It’s the same pattern we saw at Kitezi, neglect, delay, disaster, and denial so that they use it for political relevance,” Namatovu said.

Sources have also indicated that a group of political leaders are mobilizing councilors from Nakawa West to demonstrate over the health centre, when President Museveni visits the area on the PDM tour.

Nakawa West Residents cry for Action

“We are calling on the Minister for Kampala, the President’s Office, and IGG to launch a full investigation into KCCA’s handling of Bukoto Health Centre. The delays, missing land titles, and interference with donations,” residents pleadingly echoed to the reporter of this Publication.

They also appealed for renewed talks between KCCA and the Indian temple, and the establishment of a temporary health facility to prevent a total collapse of services.

The area division’s health officials also called for quick intervention citing life risk urgency.  “If this facility closes, many people will simply die at home,” warned Dr. Oundo, one of the division’s medical officers.

As the dust settles on the Kitezi landfill deaths, the unfolding tragedy in Nakawa West stands as a new test of accountability for Kampala’s leadership. Will KCCA continue down a path of negligence and self interest, or will national leaders finally intervene with the sabotage by some leaders, to protect the lives they were elected to serve?