By Abila Martha
August 21, 2024
Kampala, Uganda— In a decisive move to address the ongoing solid waste management crisis in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA), a high-level meeting led by the First Deputy Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, convened on August 21, 2024, at the Office of the Prime Minister. The meeting culminated in the approval of an interim plan aimed at resolving the waste management challenges exacerbated by the recent collapse of garbage piles in the Kiteezi landfill.
The critical meeting was attended by key government figures including the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Rafael Magezi, the Minister for Kampala, Hajjati Minsa Kabanda, the Minister of Works and Transport, General Edward Katumba Wamala, and the Executive Director of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Dorothy Kisaka. Also present were the mayors of the GKMA regions—Kampala City, Entebbe, Kiira, Wakiso, and Mukono—as well as town clerks and other senior technocrats.
The collapse at Kiteezi, which has long been the primary landfill for the GKMA, has necessitated urgent actions to prevent further environmental degradation and public health risks. After thorough deliberation, the following decisions were made:
1. Relocation of Waste Disposal Sites: The meeting recognized that the Katabi site in Entebbe is inadequate for handling the large volume of waste generated in the GKMA. Consequently, all garbage trucks previously depositing at Kiteezi will now be redirected to two alternative sites: Katikolo in Mukono District and Menvu in Busukuma, Nansana District.
2. Infrastructure Development for Waste Management: The Ministry of Works has been tasked with the immediate deployment of equipment to improve road access to the newly designated sites at Katikolo and Menvu. In tandem, KCCA will begin construction and stabilization works on the Menvu landfill to ensure it can accommodate the incoming waste.
3. Resettlement Plan for Kiteezi Residents: A comprehensive resettlement plan has been commissioned for the displaced residents living within a 200-meter buffer zone of the Kiteezi landfill. KCCA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, will oversee the relocation of these residents to Ddundu in Mukono District, identified as a suitable alternative within the GKMA.
4. Continued Works at Kiteezi Landfill: Despite the relocation of waste disposal, KCCA will continue essential works at the Kiteezi site, including stabilizing the garbage slopes, creating drainage channels, and demarcating the 200-meter buffer zone to ensure the landfill is effectively managed.
In a public appeal, KCCA has urged all Kampala residents to adhere to the “3Rs” of waste management—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Residents are also encouraged to sort waste at the source by separating organic material from plastics and metals. KCCA reminds the public that the disposal of garbage in unauthorized locations is illegal, and calls for collective action to maintain a clean and sustainable city.
The implementation of this interim plan is expected to mitigate the immediate waste management challenges in the GKMA while laying the groundwork for more sustainable long-term solutions.