How Ghanaian investor landed Kiteezi dumpsite deal

A section of Kiteezi landfill in Kasangati Town Council, Wakiso District, which absorbs waste from Kampala City, Mukono and Wakiso municipal and town councils, collapsed on August 10.

The police confirmed at least 35 people were killed, with more than 18 victims rescued and several more still feared buried under the rubbish. Several livestock were also killed, and properties worth millions lost in the collapse of the landfill.

Ms Aber, while addressing the House on the Kiteezi tragedy, said: "The tragic events have exposed critical vulnerabilities in our waste management system. Therefore, the government has decided to expedite the decommissioning of the Kiteezi landfill."

She said a 200-metre buffer zone around the landfill has been established, and efforts were underway to flatten the hill of garbage to stabilise the area as the operations are phased out.

Subsequently, the prime minister formed a committee to benchmark solid waste management practices in Ghana, Ethiopia, and Sweden.

The team visited Ghana from September 20 to 22 and toured a private waste management company, Jospong Group of Companies, which is funded by the government.

The benchmark report said Jospong Group has made significant strides in waste management, implementing innovative solutions, including composting and waste for energy.

The team included State Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Kabuye Kyofatogabye; former KCCA deputy executive director David Luyimbazi; former KCCA director of public health Daniel Okello Ayen; Finance ministry principal economist Moses Ssonko; and Energy ministry officer Hatimu Muyanja.

But President Museveni has since fired KCCA executive director Dorothy Kisaka, Mr Luyimbazi, and Dr Okello in September, following the tragedy.

Mr Kyofatogabye on Tuesday announced that the landfill had been handed over to a Ghanaian investor from the Jospong Group to decommission it at no cost.

"He has solved similar problems in Nigeria and can provide an affordable and efficient solution. We are awaiting the government valuer's assessment to determine compensation costs for households within the buffer zones," Mr Kyofatogabye told the media during the handover at Kiteezi.

The minister said the government has been searching for an investor to partner with and solve the garbage problem in the city.

Mr Joseph Agyepong, the chief executive officer of the Jospong Group, said the actual transformation of the Kiteezi landfill would begin in March 2025, although part of the technical team would arrive in October to start the landfill survey.

"Jospong has 25 years of experience in waste management, and we have solved a similar problem in Ghana," Mr Agyepong said.

"We have not placed any cost. What motivated us is passion. We will conduct a complete study and then discuss it with the authorities,” the investor said.

KCCA on March 6 allocated Shs70 billion under its unfunded priority for stabilising the landfill. But Mr Frank Rusa, interim KCCA executive director, said he was not aware of this.

Concerns

However, the KCCA Executive Committee told this publication that the central government led by Mr Kyofatogabye did not follow the legal channels to secure the bid for the Kiteezi landfill.

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago said the bid was awarded to the Jospong Group without an open bidding process, which would have allowed other entities to express interest in partnering with KCCA.

"All the transactions and processes have been exclusively handled by the central government, without any recognition of the roles of the City Executive Committee, the Authority Council, and the Division Urban Councils, all of which are required to follow the procurement process," Mr Lukwago said.

"We understand that Mr Rusa is under immense pressure to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Jospong Group, which was already prepared by the Attorney General’s office, before these transactions are processed through the value chain as required by law," he added.

Mr Lukwago asked Mr Rusa to reject signing the MoU with the Jespong Group without adhering to legal procedures under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act.

Mr Rusa confirmed receiving the proposed MoU but said he had not yet signed and was awaiting advice from the Attorney General.

"It is true that we have received an MoU from the Jospong Group on how to assist the government of Uganda with the Kiteezi project, but we have sent it to the Attorney General for his opinion," Mr Rusa said.

"The proposed MoU has not been signed at all, as some are claiming. We have referred it to the Attorney General’s Office and are awaiting his advice before proceeding," he said.

Mr Lukwago suggested that the Shs4.6b appropriated for stabilising the Kiteezi slopes be reallocated to compensate and resettle the victims of the Kiteezi landslide and the households mapped within the buffer zone.

"Compensation should be adequate and not mere tokenism, and it should be based on a proper valuation of their assets. We are also outraged by the Kampala ministry’s decision to give out handouts of only Shs2m to the victims," he said.

The KCCA boss told this publication that the compensation process was ongoing, with multiple teams deployed to Kiteezi to assess the damage.

"The compensation for landlords will be facilitated through KCCA, while tenants have received Shs2m from the Office of the Prime Minister to secure alternative accommodations," Mr Rusa said.

He said some houses were destroyed by garbage while excavators damaged others during rescue efforts.

"To determine the compensation for these affected households, an inter-ministerial committee of technical experts will conduct an evaluation to establish the actual value of the lost properties," Mr Rusa said.

“Approximately 24 houses will be handled by the Office of the Prime Minister, and around 80 houses affected by water backflow are awaiting guidance from the ministerial committee on compensation,” he added.

Mr Rusa said: "Once the evaluation is complete and recommendations are made, the government will promptly proceed with the compensation."

An excavator digs through the rubble at Kiteezi landfill in Wakiso District on August 11. PHOTO/ abubaker lubowa/

Vox pops compiled by stephen otage