Struggling to hold back his tears, 22-year-old garbage collector Okuku Prince vividly remembers the heartbreaking moment when his best friend’s lifeless body was discovered at a massive landfill in Kampala, Uganda’s capital.
Last August, a tragic landslide at the Kiteezi dump claimed the lives of 30 individuals, including Prince’s friend Sanya Kezia. Prince fears that some individuals might still be trapped beneath the mountain of garbage. Many of the victims at the dump survived by salvaging and selling discarded items of value, such as fishing nets, plastic bottles, glass jars, and old electronic components.
Following the catastrophic collapse, a blame game ensued, with the city council and central government pointing fingers at each other for negligence. The deceased were left without a dignified burial as they remained buried under tons of trash. When Kezia’s body was eventually uncovered by government tractors, the young man’s face bore injuries, a distressing sight for Prince.
Prior to scavenging through trash, Prince had been pursuing a law degree at the Islamic University of Uganda. However, financial instability within his family forced him to abandon his studies. Now, his daily routine involves collecting, washing, and selling polythene bags for a meager income of 10,000 shillings a day.
The collapse not only led to financial strain for Prince but also forced him to relocate due to safety concerns, as did many others whose homes were destroyed during rescue efforts. While compensation has been provided to the families of the deceased, approximately 200 individuals who lost their homes are yet to receive any financial assistance, as acknowledged by local authorities.
Acknowledging the shortcomings in waste management, some experts argue that the Kiteezi disaster was avoidable had basic common sense prevailed. The landfill, established in 1996 with funding from the World Bank, was intended to be a central waste disposal site for Kampala. However, over the years, the landfill has expanded to cover a vast area, lacking essential facilities for recycling, sorting, and incineration.
With Kampala generating 2,500 tonnes of waste daily, half of which ends up in landfills like Kiteezi, the environmental impact is severe. The landfill’s inadequate infrastructure poses a threat to both the environment and the lives of those like Prince, who are forced to scavenge through the waste to make ends meet.
In a bid to shed light on the pressing issues plaguing Kampala, Uganda, a recent investigation has uncovered the root causes behind the tragic events at the Kiteezi landfill. Mr. Muramuzi, a knowledgeable figure on the matter, revealed that the absence of proper ventilation systems has led to a dangerous build-up of gases within the landfill, culminating in a catastrophe that could have been prevented with the right precautions in place.
The solution, as it turns out, is not as complex as one might think. By implementing regular monitoring and audits that take into account environmental, social, and economic factors, the government could avert future disasters like the one that befell Kiteezi. However, political power struggles and financial mismanagement have hindered progress in addressing these critical issues.
Responsibility for maintaining a clean, habitable, and sustainable environment in Kampala falls on the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). Mayor Erias Lukwago, a member of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change party, laments the lack of authority his office wields in effecting necessary changes. The KCCA has proposed plans to decommission Kiteezi, but the required funds of $9.7 million exceed the city’s budget, with little support forthcoming from the central government.
While development partners and donors have offered some assistance, Mayor Lukwago stresses the need for greater funding from the central government to make meaningful progress. Despite calls for action, the government has remained silent on the issue of allocating funds for Kampala’s largest landfill.
Following a tragic incident at the landfill last year, which claimed lives and exposed systemic failures, there has been a push to revamp waste management practices in Kampala. Efforts are underway to convert organic waste into compost and reduce the influx of unnecessary waste into the city. However, the public’s cooperation is crucial in ensuring the success of these initiatives, as proper waste sorting is paramount to effective recycling.
While these steps are commendable, experts caution that they do not fully address the structural inadequacies at Kiteezi. For the residents directly impacted by the landfill collapse, promises of compensation remain unfulfilled, leaving a sense of despair and injustice in their wake. The tragic loss of life and subsequent lack of accountability have cast a shadow over the community, prompting calls for urgent action and systemic change.
As Uganda grapples with the aftermath of the Kiteezi tragedy, the road to recovery is paved with challenges and unanswered questions. With the spotlight on Kampala’s waste management practices, there is a growing sense of urgency to address the underlying issues that have long plagued the city. Only through concerted efforts, cooperation, and transparent governance can Kampala hope to overcome its waste management crisis and build a sustainable future for all its residents.
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