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Growing town with garbage problem
Buwama is also a fast growing town that is seeing an influx of people and businesses. Photo by Sadat Mbogo
What you need to know:
- Buwama’s garbage collection truck is currently parked at the police station and the driver is engaged in other business.
Buwama is located in Mpigi District on the Kampala-Masaka Highway. It is a fast growing town located approximately 65 kilometres from Kampala. It is surrounded by the Equator to the south, Lake Victoria to the west, Kalandazi Central Forest Reserve to the north and Butambala District to the east.
The town is home to people from different tribes although majority of residents are Baganda and Banyarwanda. “Baganda are natives of the area but the Banyarwanda has recently flocked here looking to buy land for farming,” says Vincent kayiwa, a resident.
Its population is estimated at 16,000 residents.
Origin of the name
According to Joseph Musoke, a 72-year-old former paralegal and the councillor representing old persons in Buwama Sub-county council, the name ‘Buwama’ originates from a noun, ‘Namwama.’
He says before the colonial era in the 1880s, Namwama, Buganda Kingdom’s Kkobe clan leader, shifted from Ssese Islands where he resided and settled at a hill in Mpigi District. When his subjects started following his route, they would direct their colleagues to the hill saying: “We are going to Namwama headquarters (Obuwama).” This is how the village eventually became Buwama.
Garbage problem
The town is facing a problem with garbage that is littered allover. Although town authorities recently received 15 garbage skips and a garbage truck from Lake Victoria Environment Management Programme, the situation is worse and, according to residents, more garbage is dumped in the area, especially near business points.
“Garbage was last collected in November last year but we continue to pay garbage collection fees. We pay between Shs2,000 and Shs10,000 per week but nothing has been done. We are at risk of disease outbreaks such as cholera and ebola. Authorties must deal with this as a matter of urgency,” says Emmanuel Makumbi, a resident of Buwama A.
Meddie Ssekyanzi, a resident of Buwama B and a businessman says: “There is need to sensitise residents about proper garbage disposal. Others don’t know how to separate decomposing rubbish from other materials such as plastics.”
Levi Magala, the solid waste management committee chairman says they lack funds to do the work. “We are only given Shs1m in the annual budget, which is too little to cater for our driver, maintenance of the truck and fuel. The truck consumes at least Shs60,000 per route to and from the garbage collection centre at Kibukuta Swamp. The money that was budgeted for has been used up.”
Infrastructure
The town has three markets; Nalutaaya, Masagazi and Kisaawe. It also has a magistrate’s court, police station and a taxi park. Some of the recreational centres in the town include Archbishop Kasujja stadium, among others. The area has a well upgraded road network, two petrol stations, a number of schools, Buwama Health Centre III and a radio station (103.3 Buwama FM).
Tapped water supply and electricity are wasily accessible, providing an opportunity for job creation and fairly healthy living.
Cost of land and rent
Renting a single room costs between Shs35,000 to Shs70,000 while a double room goes for between Shs90,000 to Shs150,000.
According to Simon Peter Kawuki Awakulennume, a resident, a 50x100 feet plot of land costs between Shs5m to Shs8m at government value (or as guided by government valuer) and at a market value, it costs between Shs10m and Shs20m.
Security
Security in the area is abit unstable. In the last two years, 20 old women have been murdered. “We are trying to fight the criminals through intensive day and night police patrols and the use of crime preventers,” says John Baptist Kasango, the officer in charge of Buwama police station.
