Members of Parliament on the Presidential Affairs Committee have commended the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for progress made in improving waste management systems across Kampala, while calling for increased government funding to sustain and expand the interventions.
The legislators, led by Committee Chairperson Alex Byarugaba Bakunda, made the remarks during an oversight visit to the Buyala Waste Management Facility in Mpigi District and the Kiteezi Landfill, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
Bakunda said Parliament must support policies aimed at strengthening environmental protection, particularly measures targeting plastic waste.
“We need to reignite the conversation on single-use polythene bags, commonly known as buveera. They are among the biggest contributors to waste challenges in the country. Addressing this decisively is key to achieving a clean and sustainable environment,” he said.
KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki said the Authority has made strategic investments to improve waste management infrastructure, noting that due diligence was conducted before the acquisition of 230 acres of land for the Buyala facility.
She explained that the site is intended to serve the wider Kampala metropolitan area and is being upgraded to improve efficiency and environmental safety.
“We are constructing a weighing bridge to accurately measure incoming waste and recovery levels,” Buzeki said.
She revealed that more than 80 percent of Kampala’s waste is organic, generating leachate that requires proper treatment to avoid environmental contamination.
“KCCA has established four leachate ponds and is constructing an additional working cell to improve treatment capacity,” she added.
Despite the progress, Buzeki acknowledged that operational challenges remain, particularly inadequate equipment to handle the growing waste volumes generated in the city.
“We currently operate 35 garbage trucks, which is insufficient given the volume of waste generated. We require at least seven heavy-duty machines, and we are currently hiring three as we work to improve service delivery,” she said.
At the Kiteezi Landfill, Buzeki said rehabilitation efforts are ongoing, with 16 acres already restored out of the 39 acres earmarked for rehabilitation.
“We are decommissioning and rehabilitating this site systematically. With adequate funding, we will complete the process and restore the area to safer environmental standards,” she noted.
Nakawa East MP Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo commended KCCA for the systems established at Buyala but emphasized the need for additional investment to improve operations.
“KCCA has laid a strong foundation, but more funding is required to procure equipment, secure the facility, and establish a comprehensive leachate treatment plant,” Balimwezo said.
Lawmakers also urged government to fast-track funding for the rehabilitation and eventual decommissioning of the Kiteezi Landfill. They acknowledged the support of development partners, including UN-Habitat and the Government of Japan, toward the ongoing works.
The USD 1 million rehabilitation project was launched following the partial collapse of the landfill in August 2024, which raised major environmental and public health concerns.
Current rehabilitation works include reshaping waste slopes, stabilizing the garbage mass, installing methane ventilation systems, and expanding leachate treatment infrastructure.
KCCA has also continued to emphasize public participation in waste management efforts, urging residents to sort waste at source, recycle reusable materials, and reduce dependence on single-use plastics such as buveera.