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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Kisenyi in Mengo Parish, Kampala, have asked Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to provide litter bins in their areas to improve waste management.
This appeal was made during the launch of a general cleanup exercise in the area.
During a tour of Kisenyi, it was evident that much of the garbage was strewn in trenches and residential areas due to the lack of proper disposal bins.
Robina Kyeswa, one of the residents, wants KCCA authorities to provide the litter bins. He says that poor garbage management is compromising public health.
She welcomed the minister’s initiative to clean up the area but emphasized the need for litter bins where residents can dispose of their waste.
Zam Nakate, another resident, mentioned that even when residents collect garbage in one area, it often takes a long to be collected by KCCA which poses a health hazard to the community.
Nakate called for the timely collection of garbage so that residents do not resort to dumping waste in trenches, on the roads, or in water channels.
Hajat Minsa Kabanda, the Minister of Kampala Metropolitan Affairs, speaking to journalists during the exercise, urged residents to take responsibility for the waste generated in their homes and not solely rely on KCCA for cleanup.
Kabanda explained that previously, there had been disputes over where to dump garbage. However, the issue concerning the National Forest Authority-NFA and a site in Buyala along Mityana Road has now been resolved, and KCCA can dump waste in that area.
The Minister added that, according to the agreement with the landowner, KCCA is currently allowed to dump waste on only five acres of the 250-acre site, as the full payment for the land has not yet been made.
The Deputy KCCA ED Moses Kigenyi urged residents to adopt the sorting of garbage at the site for proper management so that garbage can easily be handled for e-waste management. He added that KCCA is to continue with the sensitization about this process.
He also said that to achieve this, KCCA is to distribute collection bags in different colours depending on the nature of the garbage.
Abu Sonko, the Project Manager at Nabugabo Joint Venture, stated that this initiative started in Mengo Parish in Kisenyi because it is one of the areas in Kampala most affected by garbage issues.
Sonko explained that the challenge was partly due to KCCA and Nabugabo’s lack of a designated waste disposal site, leading to a garbage backlog in the community. Now that KCCA has secured permission to dump waste in Buyala along Mityana Road, Nabugabo will collect garbage from each village in Kampala every two days.
He further highlighted that Nabugabo has hired additional workers and increased the number of trucks used for waste collection in the city, making it easier to clean up the city and manage the garbage backlog that has led to piles of waste on the streets of Kampala.
According to KCCA, it is estimated that Kampala generates 2,500 tonnes of garbage daily, but only 1,200 tonnes are collected by garbage trucks. The uncollected garbage ends up in drainage channels, worsening the city’s sanitation.
With the ever-increasing population and urbanization, Kampala faces significant challenges in waste management, such as inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, and poor waste disposal practices.
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