The ongoing Kampala waste management crisis has taken a new turn as Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago issued a directive to halt the acquisition of land for a new waste management facility. This decision comes in the wake of a chaotic council meeting and amidst accusations of a lack of transparency in the process.
The urgency for a new Kampala waste management solution stem from the collapse of the Kiteezi landfill in Wakiso District last August. The disaster tragically claimed the lives of over 35 people and caused millions of shillings worth of property damage. Following the incident, the Inspectorate of Government (IG) launched an investigation to determine the cause and hold those responsible accountable.
In response to the crisis, the Ugandan Cabinet allocated Shs16 billion from the Contingency Fund to secure alternative land for waste management. The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) initiated a bidding process, stipulating that the land should be no less than 200 acres and not situated in environmentally sensitive areas.
However, Mayor Lukwago paused the process, citing the need for transparency and oversight. He expressed concern that the City Executive Committee (CEC), of which he is a member, had not yet received a progress report on the land acquisition process.
He emphasized the importance of accountability and stated that the committee had been sidelined despite being tasked with providing oversight. This directive follows a contentious KCCA council meeting on September 17th that was intended to address the city’s waste management crisis but descended into chaos.
During the meeting, some councillors accused the CEC of failing to deliver a report on the waste management situation, an accusation that Mr. Lukwago strongly refuted. The Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago maintained that the CEC was prepared to present a report with recommendations during the meeting but was not given the opportunity.
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He emphasized that the team had been working diligently to address the situation. With the halt on land acquisition, Kampala waste management crisis remains unresolved. The situation underscores the urgent need for a transparent and collaborative approach to address the city’s growing waste management challenges.
