Masaka sets fine for littering city

Authorities in Masaka have introduced a fine of Shs40,000 for anyone found guilty of littering the city.

The same fine, according to the new Solid Waste Management Ordinance 2022, will apply for those dumping hazardous waste, and use of plastic items, among other violators of the ordinance.

Under the new arrangement, the city council shall either by its agents or licensed collectors, ensure that all solid waste is collected and conveyed to the approved disposal site.

Ms Alice Nanungi, the chairperson of social works’ committee in Masaka City, says any charges levied for waste collection will be prescribed after passing the waste management policy

“Our next step is to pass a waste management policy which will outline the rates to be paid by the generators of waste in the city,” she said in an interview on Monday.

Ms Nanungi says the council will release the quarterly data about the quantity and quality of waste generated, collected, treated and disposed of, adding that such information will be available at the division and city council offices.

The Masaka City speaker, Mr Tonny  Ssempijja, says the city clerk will have to sign contracts with private companies after a proper bidding process to take up the responsibility of collecting solid waste in the city.

“The ordinance has already been passed by the council and forwarded to the line minister for onward transmission to the Attorney General for certification and approval. Once that is done, enforcement of the ordinance will follow,” he says.

The Masaka City mayor, Ms Florence Namayanja, says the city court will be handling cases of people who will violate the ordinance.

“Waste management is one of the things we are grappling with and we hope this ordinance we help us address this challenge,” she adds.

  The new city is still facing challenges, including poor waste management and sanitation. The city is yet to set up a standard land fill to dump waste and has only two functional garbage trucks and a tractor.

In 2019, three local private firms applied to collect garbage in the city, but failed to make it through the bidding process.

This prompted authorities to continue managing garbage collection as they await competent firms. Recently, a section of city dwellers protested a garbage fee authorities had started levying to improve solid waste management in the area.

 Effective January , authorities started levying a fee ranging between Shs500 and Shs1,000 depending on the volume of garbage, but residents claim the levy has not been approved by the council.

The decision to privatise solid waste management was reached following the chronic failure by the city to effectively do the work due to dwindled local revenue collection yet this component alone is costing them 46 percent of their total budget.

Masaka City generates at least 100 tonnes of garbage every week, but authorities can only collect 70 percent.