KAMPALA – In a bid to tackle Uganda’s pressing waste management issues, Public Services International (PSI) has on Tuesday convened a high-level stakeholders’ engagement on solid waste management. The breakfast meeting brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including Members of Parliament, urban authorities, market vendors, and potential investors in the solid waste management sector.
The meeting highlighted the urgent need for improved waste management in Uganda. Dr. Everline Aketch from PSI emphasized that the country’s waste management challenges are not just environmental issues, but also health crises, economic burdens, and threats to the future. She noted that workers in the waste management sector often face poor working conditions, outdated machinery, and lack of a coherent approach to waste collection.
The discussion draws from the Kiteezi landfill saga located on the outskirts of Kampala which has been a ticking time bomb having killed tens and leaving many others homeless. The dumpsite, which was initially designed to handle 100 tons of waste per day, was overwhelmed by the city’s rapid growth, receiving over 1,000 tons of waste daily. The result is a massive, smoldering dumpsite that has become a health hazard and an environmental disaster.
“Uganda is drowning in garbage. The situation worsens each day, with unsegregated waste, plastic pollution, and improper disposal leading to diseases like cholera, dysentery, and malaria, which thrive in dirty environments,” said Dr. Aketch.
She also emphasized the need for improved waste management in Uganda, citing poor working conditions, outdated machinery, and lack of a coherent approach to waste collection as major challenges.
According to Dr. Aketch, workers in the waste management sector often go unpaid for up to six months, and contracts for waste management companies typically only last one year. “This lack of stability and investment in waste management infrastructure has led to a crisis in Uganda’s cities, with even previously well-managed cities like Bali now struggling to cope with waste.”
Dr. Aketch suggested that Uganda’s rapid population growth, with an average birth rate of 3.7 children per woman, has put a strain on the country’s waste management systems. However, she also noted that Uganda has the opportunity to turn its waste into a valuable resource, with up to 80% of its waste being organic and potentially convertible into useful products.
Hon. Dr. Byakatonda Abdulhu, Workers’ MP, echoed Aketch’s sentiments. “The world has become interconnected in ways and levels that humanity never anticipated,” he said. “With this increasing rate of globalization came the formation of tiny cities in Uganda. These tiny cities have been elevated from municipality to city status, and the scope of cities widened.”
Byakatonda emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to waste management. “We must think outside the box, plan better, and ensure that all cities and urban centers strategically address the issue of waste management,” he said.
Florence Namayanja, former Mayor of Masaka Municipality, shared her experiences with waste management in Uganda. “Waste can be a valuable resource if managed properly,” she said. “I think this is not waste; this is a resource which we can tap from. There is no waste to waste.”
Namayanja emphasized the need for collective action to address Uganda’s waste management challenges. “We cannot do it individually,” she said. “We can do it together. All of us, as Ugandans, must speak one language and address this issue which has become toxic.”
To address these challenges, Dr. Aketch called for a more coherent approach to waste management, with clearer policies and responsibilities for different stakeholders. She also emphasized the need for greater investment in waste management infrastructure and for more sustainable contracts with waste management companies.
The stakeholders’ engagement also discussed potential solutions to Uganda’s waste management challenges. These included the need for a coherent approach to waste management, investment in recycling technologies, and the establishment of a Solid Waste Management Fund to support local governments in managing waste.
As the meeting drew to a close, the stakeholders resolved to work together to address Uganda’s waste management challenges. They recognized that transforming waste management in Uganda requires a collective effort from government, private sector, civil society, and communities. With the right policies, technologies, and partnerships in place, Uganda can turn its waste management challenges into opportunities for sustainable development and economic growth.
