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Heap of garbage buries houses, livestock at Kiteezi landfill
A man stands on the a garbage mound after part of it fell on houses at Kiteezi landfill in Kawempe Division, Kampala on August 10, 2024. PHOTOS/ ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- During a site visit on January 9, Mr Lukwago said the worrying condition at the landfill was first raised by the Directorate of Public Health at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
Authorities in Kampala said Saturday that they were investigating a structural failure in waste mass after a section of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Landfill in Kiteezi collapsed on houses and livestock in the early morning hours.
The level of damage is still being assessed with no casualties confirmed by the time of filing this story as search and rescue operation by residents and authorities was underway.
“Our teams, along with other government agencies are on ground taking the necessary measures to ensure the area is secure and to prevent any further incidents. We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community. We will update you because this is a developing story,” KCCA said in a statement.
The collapse comes months after Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago in January this year warned that people working and living near the landfill in the capital city's Kawempe Division, were at risk of numerous health hazards due to overflowing waste.
The waste is said to be flowing after a treatment plant at the site malfunctioned many years ago, officials established in January 2024.
During a site visit on January 9, Mr Lukwago said the worrying condition at the landfill was first raised by the Directorate of Public Health at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
He said the directorate recommended, among others, that the government should consider relocating to a new dumping site in Dundu-Mukono District or develop the already procured four acres of land which is adjacent to filled site in Kiteezi.
“In line with the Solid Waste Management Ordinance-2000, we are developing a policy on how to manage solid waste in Kampala amidst the current health hazard created by the poor management of Kiteezi landfill,” Mr Lukwago said.
“The current state of the site presents health issues, which necessitates immediate intervention to safeguard any eminent public health, human safety and property as well as to ensure the continued efficiency of waste collection and sanitation within the city,” he added.
Besides the non-functional leachate laboratory, the landfill has not had weighbridges for the last decade and the hired machinery to sort and compact the waste are in a poor mechanical condition.
Ms Stella Nantaba, a resident in Kiteezi, expressed concern of untreated waste that was flowing into their homes and gardens.
“We heard that the discharge from garbage has the capacity to cause diseases like cancer as well as contaminating our food in the gardens. But for years now, the said poisonous water has continued to flood everywhere without being treated,” she said
Established in 1996, Kiteezi landfill is the dumpsite of all garbage collected from all five divisions of the city.
However, the 36 acres of the landfill have since turned into ‘hills’ of garbage, which prompted the government to acquire 136 acres to construct a new landfill in Dundu, Mukono District.
Speaking to this publication early this year, Mr Daniel Nuweabine, the research and business analyst at KCCA, attributed challenges of managing the landfill to limted resources.
“The situation at Kiteezi [landfill] is worrying but it all goes to limited resources allocated to maintain the site. These are issues we have always raised, it is good that it has come to the attention of the authority leaders, let’s work together to improve the image of this dumpsite,” Mr Nuweabine said.
Eight months after these concerns were raised, authorities are yet to respond and address them.
