By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Residents of Central Division in Kampala have protested delays in solid waste collection by companies contracted by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), saying the inefficiency has left huge piles of garbage accumulating around homes and business premises.
The residents claim collectors charge each household Shs10,000 every Saturday but often fail to pick up the waste on time, reportedly blaming mechanical breakdowns of their trucks.
“Homeklin is supposed to collect waste every Friday or Saturday, but they only come to collect money and still delay, even when we segregate it,” said Mulokole, a food vendor in Luzige Zone.
Kampala generates an estimated 2,500 tonnes of garbage daily, but only 40–50% is collected by KCCA and private contractors, leaving the rest to be dumped in drainage channels and open spaces. About 80% of the waste is organic matter.
KCCA contracted two private firms; Nabugabo Updeal Venture and Homeklin, to manage solid waste in the city. However, residents say the companies have failed to execute their duties, as garbage continues to pile up in several city streets.
LC1 chairperson of Usafi–Luzige Zone, Musa Muleme, blamed the situation partly on the politicisation of waste management. He said some politicians frustrate enforcement teams by ordering the release of suspects caught dumping illegally.
“When enforcement arrests someone dumping in a drainage channel, some people rush to politicians, who then call for the suspect’s release because they want votes,” Muleme said. He urged leaders to allow enforcement teams to do their work without interference.
Residents also complained about poor sanitation facilities in the area, calling for KCCA to crack down on landlords who do not provide toilets for tenants.
Matovu Sadam, a boda boda rider in Kiguli Zone, said the state of toilets puts residents at risk of diseases such as cholera.
“Proper sanitation starts with clean toilets, but we don’t have any. When KCCA comes, they only clean the roadside. Nobody checks the toilets. It’s a mess,” he said.
Additionally, Aaliyah Lukwago, a second year student at Makerere University Medical School, Mulago, says poor waste disposal exposes residents to dangerous pathogens calling for engaging communities in sanitation as this helps sensitise residents and raise awareness about hygiene and the prevention of sanitation-related diseases.
“Germs from this rubbish can contaminate food and cause infections. We are here to educate and sensitise the residents of Kisenyi III so that they may understand the importance of proper waste disposal and prevent these infections,” Aaliyah said adding that awareness is the first step toward lasting behavior change.
To address the city’s sanitation challenges, KCCA is rolling out the Weyonje Sanitation Challenge 2025 across all five divisions, Kawempe, Central, Nakawa, Makindye and Rubaga. The initiative aims to inspire behavioural change and community-led cleanliness.
KCCA Director of Public Health and Environment, Dr Sarah Zalwango, said the competition has already been launched in four divisions and will run until December 20, when the best-performing division will be awarded.
“The assessments include home inspections, road cleanliness, waste sorting, and proper drainage management,” she said. “No garbage in drainage, no sewage in channels. Homes must be clean.”
During the launch in Central Division, Town Clerk Douglas Nsubuga urged residents to support KCCA staff and Seven Hills in cleaning their communities. He warned that his office would close any business found dumping in drainage channels.
KCCA Executive Director Hajjati Sharifah Buzeki reminded residents that waste management is a shared responsibility. She encouraged them to reduce polythene use, adopt reusable bags, and sort waste at home.
“When you reduce kaveera, you reduce flooding and cut the cost of cleaning the city,” she said. She added that waste sorting eases recycling and can generate income.
Buzeki pledged to request more garbage trucks from the Government to boost waste collection efforts.
About Weyonje Sanitation Challenge 2025
The competition, soon to be launched in Rubaga Division, focuses on mindset change, community empowerment, and building a cleaner, greener Kampala.
“Residents can participate by voting online through U-Report and the KCCA website,” Dr Zalwango said.
