By Andrew Victor Mawanda Naimanye
At the launch of Uganda Environmental Forum 2025 on Tuesday , James Bond Kunobere, the Acting Deputy Director of Solid Waste Management at KCCA, highlighted that the Authority’s main focus is advocacy, as they aim on driving Uganda into thinking to the direction of a sustainable future.
Kunobere highlights that the Authority has taken extensive measures to provide guidance on how Ugandan’s can effectively manage their waste.
“As we educate the public on the risks associated with waste management, enforcement is the best method of education. With this realisation; KCCA has reviewed it’s solid waste management ordinance. In the updated system, vendors and traders in market areas will now be subject to fines for the waste they generate,” Kubonere stated.
According to the city’s leadership, Kampala’s daily waste is a result of poor human behaviour and intentional non-complicance
“First and foremost, we ought to take responsibility for the waste we generate each day and acknowledge our contribution to the overall waste produced in the country. It is essential for us to minimise the daily waste created by the city,” says Kubonere.
“How can we achieve this? For instance, when purchasing a bottle of Rwenzori water from the corner shop or any other supermarket, is it really necessary to come out of the shop with a polythene bag?,” Kubonere added
Kubonere believes that as much as Ugandan’s have developed a littering culture, change is possible as it primarily hinges on mindset.
“In certain parts of the world, littering in public can result in imprisonment. Charity begins at home, it is the responsibility of every Ugandan parent to install such values in their children to shape the next generation’s values and practices and educate them on how waste can be used to their advantage,” Kubonere said.
The 2024 National Population and Housing Census revealed that 91% of the population, approximately 9.8 million households, relied on improper methods of dumping waste.
Concerns continue to remain high on whether or not Ugandans will adhere to the set standards, or will Kampala’s streets slowly slip back to their old state.