Lord Mayor Urges Museveni to Suspend Buyala Garbage Directive Amidst Flood Concerns

Kampala is facing a potential waste crisis as Lord Mayor Ronald Balimwezo urges President Yoweri Museveni to reconsider his directive to stop garbage dumping at the Buyala Waste Management Facility. Balimwezo highlights the city’s daily generation of approximately 2,500 tonnes of solid waste, a volume that the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) already struggles to manage.

The directive, if enforced, could leave KCCA without a functional disposal site, leading to uncollected garbage accumulating on roadsides and in drainage systems. This situation is particularly alarming given the government’s own warnings about potential El Niño rains between September and December.

“My appeal to the President is, at such a time when we have warnings from government itself of the El Niño rains, that he halts the directive and allows KCCA, for the meantime, to dump garbage there as we look for alternatives,” stated Balimwezo.

He also pointed to a lack of coordination among government bodies involved in waste management. Balimwezo stressed that KCCA had conducted due diligence for the approximately 230-acre Buyala site, which had received approval from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) as an emergency disposal area. Significant government resources have already been invested in the project.

Currently, only about five acres of the Buyala site are in use, with NEMA also supporting the development of a modern integrated waste management facility there. The Lord Mayor advocates for a shift towards waste-to-energy and material-recovery technologies, viewing garbage not as waste but as a potential resource for energy, briquettes, and employment.

KCCA’s long-term strategy includes establishing a Material Resource Recovery Facility at Buyala for sorting, recycling, and reuse. Expressions of interest for a modern integrated facility were opened in August. Balimwezo warned that improper waste disposal could block drainage and contaminate water sources.

This plea comes as Kampala prepares for the rainy season, with KCCA identifying 69 flood-prone areas and urging citizens to keep drainage channels clear of debris. The Lord Mayor seeks a temporary review of the President’s directive to allow continued use of Buyala while a sustainable alternative waste management system is developed.

This article is based on information from Nile Post.