Ugandan singer A Pass says heavy rains that hit Kampala on Saturday night flooded his Najjera home, damaged property and left him reflecting on how close the situation could have come to becoming fatal.
The singer described water filling his house and compound, with his car and belongings reportedly affected. His music studio was also flooded, leaving him facing the cost of cleaning up and replacing damaged property.
A Pass believes the situation could have been much worse because of electrical appliances in his home. He said an extension cord in his room is normally connected to a power supply, raising concerns about the danger he could have faced if he had stepped barefoot into the floodwater.
“Imagine, with all these floods filling up my house, had I stepped barefoot on the floor, this would be a very different conversation we are having. I would be dead,” he said.
The singer added that he was grateful to have survived the ordeal and remained able to recover financially from the losses.
“I can complain and say I lost my property; my entire studio was filled with water. The cleaning only is to cost more than Shs700k, but I survived,” A Pass said.
The estimated cleaning cost alone highlights the immediate financial burden he says the flooding has created, even before accounting for the replacement or repair of damaged equipment and other belongings.
Beyond his personal losses, A Pass pointed to what he described as a drainage problem along the road near his home. He said the issue had been raised months earlier and linked it to the flooding that affected homes, fences and other property.
“The floods damaged people’s houses, fences, and all that. It is a drainage problem along the road that we talked about months ago,” he said.
His account places attention on the impact of heavy rainfall on residential properties and the potential risks when floodwater enters homes containing electrical equipment.
Floodwater and electricity can create a serious electrocution hazard. Electrical equipment and power supplies should not be approached while standing in water, and electricity should only be disconnected from a safe, dry location. Anyone facing flooding around electrical installations should seek assistance from the relevant emergency or utility services.
For A Pass, the experience has become a reminder of the importance of life beyond material possessions. Although he says the damage to his home and studio will cost him money, he is focusing on the fact that he survived.
“I am alive and can still maneuver and buy the damaged property,” he said.