What you need to know:
“The poor garbage management in Soroti City had captured the attention of high personalities including the Church of Uganda Archbishop, The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kazimba Mugalu in his recent pastoral visit to the region”.
An excavator loading garbage on a truck at Kigandani Market on Saturday 12, August 2023.
Soroti City woman Member of Parliament Joan Alobo Acom has teamed up with some members of the National Resistance movement and the traders of Soroti City East division to put an end to the outcry of Garbage dominating city space.
The burden of garbage especially along the city streets, busy suburbs and market places has been frustrating usual business and endangering the lives of city residents.
The poor garbage management in Soroti City had captured the attention of high personalities including the Church of Uganda Archbishop, The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kazimba Mugalu in his recent pastoral visit to the region.
The Archbishop’s comment was total embarrassment to the Soroti city authorities as he expressed his discomfort with unappetizing garbage heaps that welcomed him to the city.
On Saturday morning, the FDC’s Joan Alobo Acom swallowed her pride and led the extraction exercise of waste heaps pilled in Kigangani Market, Kengere Ward, Soroti City East – Division.
Mp Joan Alobo Acom (Rignt), Moses Oroma the NRM Registrar(Center) and Tom Ewoku the Chairman Soroti at heart association (left) gathering garbage at Kigandani Market on Saturday 12, August.
Alobo has spent a total sum of Ushs. 23 Million on hiring the trucks, machinery and labor to displace over 500 tones of garbage heaps occupying space on Kigandani Market area.
She disclosed her plans to wage serious war on garbage suffocating the city space by working closely with city council authorities to strengthen policies, mobilizing and sensitizing the masses on proper garbage disposal and its management.
“As a woman member of parliament, the authorities have been challenged in handling garbage, my coming is to consolidate their efforts by ensuring that the overwhelming garbage is displaced first, then later embark on the policing and sensitization,” she noted.
The area of Kigandani Market adjacent to Soroti – Mbale High way has been known to be one of the dirtiest Parts of the city holding huge garbage deposits believed to have overcome the local government authorities.
Moses Oroma the NRM Registrar Soroti City, also a resident of Kigandani Cell narrated how garbage is frustrating business in Kigandani Market area by scaring away the area occupants and potential clients.
“I am highly indebted to the Soroti City woman MP for such a timely intervention, her coming to my area of Residence has become a turning point for the trade especially the Land lords whose tenants had fled off from the overwhelming garbage. I have personally put aside our political differences and joined her in the mobilization to revive the lost glory of Soroti”, he said.
“Despite of her being an opposition leader, Joan Alobo has my full support and backing when it comes to service delivery because serving the people doesn’t just need political parties but it only requires sacrifice and cooperation”, he added.
Moses Oroma the NRM Registrar Soroti speaking to this website.
The Soroti East Division Mayor, Paul Omer, attributes the garbage mess to the big headed residents whom he notes have failed to heed the guidance of the City Council.
“Initially, the City authorities would collect garbage from gazetted areas but that stopped when the residents and vendors disrespected the guidelines and created garbage deposits areas we had not gazette for garbage disposal”, he said.
Tom Ewoku the chairperson of Soroti at heart, an action oriented group of people whose vision is building a city for a sustainable and holistic living led his team alongside the woman member of parliament to usher in their contributions in ensuring a clean city.
Ewoku notes that it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure sanitation in Soroti city, therefore Alobo’s call matters to everyone stumping the feet on the city grounds.
Pictorial of the garbage collection works by the Mp Joan Alobo and Soroti at Heart group members.
In February this year, Soroti City authorities handed over the Garbage collection task to private companies hopping that it would provide the basic solution to the heaps of garbage piles spread all over the entire city.
Some of the areas generating high volumes of waste in the city are Cell A,BC and G of Central ward, Moru Apesur and Kichinjaji wards, All in East Division, and Senior Quarters, Nakatunya and Pamba wards all in West Division.
The opposition MP Joan Alobo declared her total support in ensuring that Soroti City regains it’s past glory of cleanest city in Uganda.
