environment 22 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
KCCA Unaware of Directive to Vacate Buyala Landfill Amidst Safety Concerns
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) continues to use the Buyala landfill despite President Museveni's concerns about its proximity to a new oil terminal, stating they have received no official directive to cease operations. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/kcca-left-in-the-dark-over-museveni-s-directive-to-vacate-buyala-landfill-5605338
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has stated it has not received any official communication regarding President Yoweri Museveni’s concerns about the Buyala landfill’s proximity to a new oil terminal. Despite acknowledged environmental and safety risks, the city authority plans to continue using the site for waste disposal.
Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Faridah Nakabugo confirmed that KCCA will maintain waste transportation to Buyala until the central government provides a viable alternative. She highlighted that the Buyala landfill, which has been operational for less than three years, is not yet at full capacity. Nakabugo stressed that KCCA lacks the financial means to acquire a new site, having invested significantly in the Buyala location following the collapse of the Kiteezi landfill.
“As KCCA, we don’t have a budget to purchase a new place because we had just organised that landfill and seen that it can be modified to add value to the rubbish so that we don’t get another Kiteezi,” she stated. The ongoing waste crisis in Kampala leaves KCCA with limited options, making the Buyala facility a necessary, albeit concerning, choice.
These remarks follow President Museveni’s questioning of the landfill’s location near the newly commissioned Kampala Storage Terminal. KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Moses Kigenyi acknowledged the danger, noting that technical teams are implementing measures like applying murram layers and waste compaction to mitigate risks. However, he conceded the current situation is unsustainable.
KCCA is initiating a procurement process for a modern waste-to-value processing facility, intended to be operational at the Buyala site within two years. This would transform the current landfill into a facility capable of converting waste into products like organic manure and recycled plastics, making it compatible with the nearby oil terminal. Until this transition, garbage disposal will continue at Buyala. KCCA acquired the 230-acre Buyala property for approximately Shs 16 billion in February 2025.