In the wake of the devastating waste slide at the Kitezi landfill that recently claimed over 30 lives and left many residents homeless, the Ugandan government has moved swiftly to address waste management issues in Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA).
The incident, which buried homes, businesses, and other properties, has been linked to negligence by KCCA, with the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) stating that they had warned the authority as far back as 2014 that Kitezi had reached its capacity.
Hon. Raphael Magyezi, the Minister for Local Government, today, convened an emergency meeting chaired by the 1st Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, to devise immediate solutions to the crisis. The meeting focused on both the short-term and long-term strategies to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.
Key decisions made during the meeting include the urgent redirection of waste from the overburdened Kitezi landfill and Entebe to the Menvu site in Nansana.
Additionally, the government has decided to relocate the affected families to Dundu, in an effort to safeguard their lives and property from future risks.
To enhance waste management efficiency, the establishment of new transfer stations was also approved, along with the expedited procurement of essential waste management equipment.
In a related development, the Entebe waste reception site will be temporarily closed for two days to facilitate urgent maintenance and restructuring.
During this period, the Mukono Katikolo site will serve as an alternative for waste reception.
The government’s response follows widespread criticism of KCCA’s failure to act on NEMA’s warnings about Kitezi’s unsustainable conditions.
NEMA had reportedly informed KCCA about the landfill’s critical status in 2014, urging them to identify an alternative dumping site.
However, the failure to heed this advice has now led to a catastrophic event, prompting the government to take these emergency measures.
As the affected communities mourn their losses, the government has pledged to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
The Ministry of Local Government and KCCA have committed to closely monitoring waste management practices to prevent future disasters and ensure the safety of residents in the GKMA.
