By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Human activities have affected the environment for thousands of years, particularly in waste disposal. In commercial urban areas and densely populated city outskirts, residents often dispose of waste improperly, clogging drainage channels. This prevents the free flow of water, leading to flooding during heavy downpours and creating breeding grounds for insects that spread diseases.
A typical example is Kanyanya Parish in Kawempe North Constituency, Kampala District, where drainage channels are filled with waste such as plastic bottles, buveera (polythene bags), and food peelings. This blockage causes water to overflow, putting residents at risk of waterborne diseases.
Speaking to journalists, Jajja Balongo, a resident of Lutunda Village, revealed that in just six months, they have lost three children to drowning in the Lutunda drainage channel, which connects Lutunda Village to Akamweesi. She attributed these tragedies to solid waste accumulation, which blocks water flow. When the drainage channels are covered with garbage, water is pushed back, eventually flooding homes.
Another resident, a market vendor, expressed frustration over Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) charging high garbage collection fees while failing to provide a designated disposal site. As a result, both residents and traders regularly dump waste into nearby drainage channels.
Local musician Master Key, also a resident, noted that garbage is not only a problem in Lutunda Village but also in neighboring areas such as Kiyanja and Gabogoola.
These concerns were raised during an electoral campaign for Sadat Mukiibi, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate in the Kawempe North by-election.
On Thursday, March 6, 2025, Mukiibi Sadat, popularly known as Kalifah Aganaga, took his campaign trail to Kanyanya Parish, where residents voiced their grievances, including inadequate service delivery and lack of access to clean and safe water.
In response, Kalifah urged the government to increase KCCA’s budget allocation to improve infrastructure and establish a proper solid waste management strategy to address Kampala’s waste crisis. He also accused KCCA of failing to monitor projects in its jurisdiction, resulting in shoddy work. Furthermore, he advised residents to practice proper waste disposal, emphasizing the health and economic risks associated with poor waste management.
