The newly elected leaders of Mpigi Town Council have appealed to the government to expedite the delivery of a garbage collection truck, saying it is critical to improving sanitation and fulfilling the promises they made to residents during the election campaigns.
Led by Deputy Mayor Hassan Wasswa, the leaders said poor sanitation has become a growing challenge because the council lacks a reliable garbage collection vehicle.
According to Wasswa, the council currently depends on an ageing tractor that has become increasingly unreliable for waste collection.
He said the vehicle spends more time in the garage than on the road, with frequent mechanical breakdowns forcing the council to incur high maintenance costs.
"This is the only garbage collection vehicle we have at Mpigi Town Council, but it rarely leaves the garage because it is always being repaired. Today we fix a tyre, tomorrow it is the engine, and sometimes it breaks down while collecting garbage from residents," Wasswa said.
He added that the trailer used to transport waste is also badly worn and riddled with holes, causing garbage to spill onto roads during transportation.
"The same tractor is used to collect and transport garbage. Because of its poor condition, we spend an entire day collecting waste, and workers have to follow it with shovels to clean up the garbage that falls onto the roads," he said.
Wasswa revealed that the council has been forced to hire private trucks, including Forward trucks, to supplement waste collection, increasing operational costs.
"While campaigning, we promised residents a clean town. Since the council's garbage truck is no longer reliable, we have had to hire private vehicles to ensure garbage is collected," he said.
The Deputy Mayor said the council had already submitted a formal request to the government for a new garbage truck and appealed for its urgent delivery.
"Immediately after assuming office, we requested a garbage truck, and we are asking the government to deliver it as soon as possible. Mpigi is now part of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area and deserves to remain clean," Wasswa said.
Mpigi Town Council serves as the main urban centre for the Greater Katonga sub-region, covering the districts of Mpigi, Butambala and Gomba.
