Analysing Developments in the Nakivubo Channel through a Water Governance Lens

This project hosts a working paper that analyses recent developments in the Nakivubo Channel and wetland system in Kampala, Uganda, through a water governance lens. The paper examines how institutional arrangements, actor coordination, and decision-making processes have shaped environmental and sanitation outcomes, with particular attention to the role of polycentric governance in complex urban water systems. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and case-study analysis, the paper situates Nakivubo within broader debates on urban wetland management, sanitation governance, and multi-level water governance in rapidly urbanising contexts. It argues that technical and infrastructure-led interventions are unlikely to be effective without deliberate governance design that clarifies mandates, enables coordination across public, private, and community actors, and institutionalises participation and conflict-resolution mechanisms. This paper is intended to contribute to ongoing academic and policy discussions on water governance and to support learning for practitioners working on urban wetlands and drainage systems in the Global South. This is a working paper and has not undergone formal peer review. The views expressed are those of the author.