Efforts by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to turn the tonnes of garbage generated in the city and its suburbs into valuable products is a step in the right direction.
The capital city has a day time population of 2.5 million people and a night time population of 1.79 million, according to the National Population and Housing Census 2024. These people generate a huge quantity of degradable and biodegradable waste, creating a challenge of disposing them off in a proper manner.
According to KCCA, between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes of garbage are generated every day. The city authority has over the years struggle to dispose of this garbage safely. Challenges faced include a shortage of garbage trucks, waste containers, and a bad attitude by some residents who dump garbage into drainage channels. The city authority collects and disposes off garbage in conjunction with authorises private firms.
The collected garbage is currently dumped at Buyala Landfill in Mpigi District.
However, according to the KCCA Executive Director, Ms Sharifah Buzeki, efforts to transition to modern waste management technologies are in high gear.
Ms Buzeki says Parliament has already approved funding for the first phase of transitioning the landfill into a modern integrated waste management facility.
KCCA is reportedly in the process of procuring companies to convert waste into useful products.
This project is long overdue and it should be expedited. The tonnes of garbage generated in Kampala can be turned into several useful products. These products will not only provide a solution to Kampala City’s garbage problem but also give the city authority revenue that can be used to provide social services.
Some of the garbage such as food waste generated by markets like Kalerwe and Nakasero can be turned into organic fertiliser for crops.
This kind of fertiliser is better than the chemical one, which is harmful to the ecosystem. A great quantity of the waste in Kampala is plastic containers and polythene bags (kaveera). Recycling of these is currently conducted on a small scale. More effort should be placed into increasing the country’s plastic cycling capabilities. To enable garbage recycling, the city authority should encourage and facilitate placing of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste into separate waste containers.
Furthermore, Kampala’s garbage can also be turned into a source of electricity. This electricity can then be supplied to residents and businesses at a fee, providing revenue for the city authority to conduct its duties.