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Poor sanitation irks Rukungiri Town residents

Some of the uncollected garbage piled in front of houses in Rukungiri Town in January 2025. PHOTO/RONALD KABANZA

What you need to know:

  • Ms Jenifer Kembabazi, another businesswoman in the area, said the municipal authorities should enhance public sensitisation and enforce compliance. 

Residents of Rukungiri Municipality are up in arms over the deteriorating sanitation of the town. The town is choking on rotting garbage, resulting in a pungent smell that welcomes whoever visits the town. Currently, the town is littered with heaps of uncollected garbage and human excreta wrapped in polythene bags. 

The town is also characterised by dilapidated buildings with a poor sewerage system. 

Ms Lucky Ainomugisha, a businessman at Republic Road, said heaps of human waste and used condoms are thrown all over his business premises, which puts him and his customers at risk of contracting diseases due to poor sanitation. 

“The town is heavily littered with all sorts of waste despite the introduction of new policies by the municipal authorities to address the wanting hygiene,” she told Daily Monitor yesterday. 

“Municipal officials hired a company to collect garbage from town and we pay a lot of money but the contracted company has failed to do its work. So, we ask the municipal council to quickly intervene before the situation gets worse,” she added. 

Ms Shivan Niwabine, a businesswoman, said many town dwellers have made it a habit to use the street alleys as urinals because the municipal council has failed to install street lights. 

“The wrongdoers use the cover of darkness to litter the streets, thus putting our lives at a great risk of contracting diseases,” she said. 
She added: “The municipal officials have completely failed to erect security lights in street alleys yet we pay taxes like other Ugandans.” 

Ms Jenifer Kembabazi, another businesswoman in the area, said the municipal authorities should enhance public sensitisation and enforce compliance. 

“The municipal officials seem to be victims of poor planning resulting from lack of capacity to effectively handle physical planning, development, hygiene and sanitation of the town,” she noted. 

Mr Robert Musimenta, a hotel owner on Rubabo Road in Rukungiri Town, expressed dismay over the dilapidated buildings and the broken-down sewerage system in the town, something he said hinders their businesses. 

“I am frustrated with the poor sanitation in Rukungiri Town yet we pay garbage collection fees every day. Last year, the municipal authorities hired a private company to collect garbage in Rukungiri Town but they only collect garbage on the main streets, leaving street alleys choking on garbage and residents choking on foul smell from rotting garbage,” he said. 

The Rukungiri Municipality Mayor, Mr Charles Makuru, said their recent investigation indicated that a number of buildings lack toilet facilities, which forces the residents to use polythene bags to answer nature’s call. 

“We intend to crack down on the culprits anytime soon and we are soon starting community engagements to ensure improved sanitation,” he said. 

He also asked residents and the general public to embrace the new garbage collection guidelines to ensure cleanliness and development within their area. The Rukungiri Municipality Town Clerk, Mr Robert Niwamanya, acknowledged the problem of waste management and blamed it on the poor attitude of residents.

“Residents have a tendency of easing themselves in polythene bags and dump them in the street alleys, an act that poses a great risk of an outbreak of diseases such as cholera and dysentery,” he said. 

He added: “As a municipality, we are doing all we can to ensure improved sanitation in the town.”