KCCA Plans Garbage Collection Points After National Cleanup Exposes Waste System Gaps

Kampala is set to establish a central garbage collection point in every village, a move designed to overhaul the city's struggling waste management system. The decision comes after the inaugural National Cleaning Day revealed critical gaps and overwhelmed the existing infrastructure with the sheer volume of waste generated.

KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki acknowledged that clearing the debris from the national cleanup took over a week, highlighting the urgent need for a more organized approach. The authority plans to work with Local Council leaders to identify these designated collection points, anticipating that consolidating waste in central locations will significantly reduce collection times and improve the efficiency of garbage trucks.

Kampala faces a daily challenge of generating an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 tonnes of solid waste. Inadequate collection infrastructure, illegal dumping, and limited disposal capacity contribute to the problem, with much of the waste remaining uncollected. The recent national cleanup exercise starkly illustrated these systemic weaknesses.

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The experience had demonstrated the need for a more organised waste collection system before future nationwide cleanups.

In addition to waste management improvements, KCCA also conducted demolitions of illegal structures within road reserves in several zones. A two-week ultimatum was issued for owners of roadside kiosks and structures to remove them voluntarily, with enforcement actions threatened for non-compliance. Some residents expressed dissatisfaction, citing insufficient notice and difficulties in removing their property before demolitions began.

Local leaders are mobilizing residents to participate in the new system. Yona Obonyo, the LC1 Chairperson-elect of Lubuga Zone, mentioned the formation of an environmental committee to encourage residents to transport their waste to the designated collection points when KCCA trucks arrive. This collaborative effort aims to address the reluctance some residents show in bringing garbage to collection vehicles.

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The arrangement will allow garbage trucks to collect waste from central locations rather than navigating numerous scattered dumping points, significantly reducing collection time and improving efficiency.