Let us walk the talk on Kampala’s garbage mess
Some of the city leaders and dwellers participate in garbage collection during the Tweyonje campaign in Bukoto Mulimira Zone, Nakawa Division, Kampala, on April 26, 2025. PHOTO/SCREENGRAB/JANE NAFULA
What you need to know:
The issue: Garbage
Our view: The government must provide adequate resources and support to address the garbage crisis. This includes allocating sufficient funds for waste management and providing technical assistance to improve waste collection and disposal
This newspaper reported in yesterday’s edition that the leadership of Kampala Capital City Authority under the stewardship of Ms Sharifah Buzeki, the executive director, called for proper disposal of waste in both residential and commercial areas to promote good sanitation in the city. Ms Buzeki, during a cleaning campaign in conjunction with Diamond Trust Bank and Buganda Kingdom, among others, also acknowledged that some individuals were fond of dumping waste into drainage channels, especially during the rainy season, a practice that she said blocks the channels and exacerbates the challenge of floods.
While what she said is accurate, it is not new altogether and the vice has gone on for decades without a clear plan for it. And officials have looked on with fancy master plans that remain on paper year in, year out Kampala is a dirty city. It is evident in every direction you choose to take.
The drainages are full of plastics and other poorly disposed of garbage. Nakivubo Channel, which snakes through the heart of the city, cries with effluent; with its dirty content stinking to the high heavens. The KCCA is responsible for ensuring effective waste management, but its efforts have been inadequate.
The city's waste collection infrastructure is insufficient, and enforcement of waste management regulations is lax. As a result, garbage piles up in the streets, markets, and waterways, creating an eyesore and a health hazard. Residents, businesses, and markets generate a significant amount of waste daily. However, the lack of proper waste disposal facilities and practices exacerbates the problem. Consequently, many residents lack access to proper waste collection services, leading to indiscriminate dumping.
The situation demands immediate attention and action, and the efforts seen last weekend when the Buzeki team took part in the Tweyonje campaign at Bukoto Mulimira Zone in Nakawa Division should not just be a one-off. They should be sustained and cleanliness be made one of the key deliverables of the city leadership. The KCCA must prioritize waste management and invest in modern infrastructure and technologies. The authority should also strengthen enforcement of waste management regulations and impose penalties on those who flout them – regularly and uniformly. Curiously the campaigns for a clean Kampala have been far in between.
The City leadership must invest in public education and awareness campaigns, which are crucial in changing behaviour and promoting proper waste disposal practices. Residents, businesses, and markets must take responsibility for their waste and work with authorities to address this crisis. Equally so, the problem has been worsened by poor housing development network in and around the city. From the sky, Kampala looks like a sprawling slum; devoid of green vegetation and good roads. One way of ensuring a clean city is by having orderly settlements.
