In a bid to tackle the challenges of waste management, Members of Parliament, led by Hon. Pius Wakabi, are set to introduce a motion urging the government to establish a dedicated fund for waste management.
With waste management emerging as a significant issue in Uganda, particularly following the Kiteezi incident, Public Service International (PSI) organized a waste management dialogue at the Imperial Royal Hotel. The event engaged various stakeholders, including MPs, KCCA officials, division mayors, market vendors, and worker representatives, to address the pressing challenges of waste management in the country.
During the dialogue, Hon. Pius Wakabi, the Member of Parliament for Bugahya constituency, announced his intention to propose a motion encouraging the government to establish a special fund for waste management, similar to the fund created for road development.
“From here, I want to go to parliament to meet the legal department to help me draft a motion encouraging government or requesting government to create a special fund for waste management, the same way Parliament created a special fund for Road Fund, we need the same thing because waste management is even more important and I’m sure the speaker will give us attention.” He said.
Wakabi emphasized that waste management is crucial and should be prioritized, as it has direct implications for public health.
“We need to first of all manage waste, because once we manage wastes properly, we shall be treating many things like we shall be handling health and incidents like that of Kiteezi shall be prevented.” He added.
He also proposed that Ugandans be sensitized about waste management, emphasizing that it is everyone’s responsibility to manage waste, particularly garbage.
Dr. Evelyne Aketch, the PSI Sub-regional Secretary, stated that Uganda lacks a comprehensive integrated approach to waste management, noting that many perceive it as a political issue. She emphasized that waste management should not be viewed as a political matter.
Hon Pious Wakabi, Dr Evelyn Aketch, Dr Abdalla Byakatonda and Hon Gorreth Namugga at the meeting
Aketch stated that the solution to waste management begins with individuals, as they are the primary waste generators. She called for a change in mindset regarding waste management practices.
“The solution to waste management in this country is not a political issue. It is an individual responsibility that begins with household. We believe that governments provide policy, but we are the ones who suffer when it comes to waste management. So what is our contribution and responsibility as individual household? There’s always been challenges of issues of sorting, we agree sometimes getting the bins to undertake effective sorting might be a challenge, but who are buffers? Why can’t I actually sort my waste as Evelyn from the domestic waste, and take it to my garden?.” She said.
Evelyn added that people can manage waste by converting it into organic fertilizer. She noted that in other countries, informal waste pickers have formed cooperatives that transform waste into energy, creating job opportunities independently of government involvement.
“Uganda’s niche is farming, we have a lot of domestic waste, which currently accounts for almost 95% we can turn this organic waste into organic fertilizer. We can still stand this waste into energy. If you go to a country like Argentina, informal waste pickers have come together as a cooperative, and they’re minting money out of energy waste. They’ve actually turned the waste into energy, the waste into briquets and they’re also using it as an employment opportunity. They’re not getting government involved.” She said.
She encouraged people to stop politicizing waste management, asserting that waste can be valuable if managed properly. She urged vendor associations to collaborate and find positive solutions for generating income from waste.
“If the different market associations can come together and decide to turn this waste into money, because waste is gold, that’s why everybody’s fighting over it. We can go back beyond the political gimmicks, and each of us individually take responsibility terms of how do we manage our waste.” She said.
Dr. Byakatonda Abdul, Workers MP, urged stakeholders, particularly implementing agencies like KCCA and other municipalities, to be proactive in managing waste effectively. He noted that improving waste management could significantly enhance the Human Development Index.
Byakatonda pledged to support Hon. Wakabi in advancing the motion for a waste management fund on the floor of Parliament. “So as members of parliament, we are privileged to be part of the discussion, and we are coming up with a motion to ensure that at least waste management is prioritized.” He said.
Fabrice Brad Rulinda, the Mayor of Entebbe municipality, stated that Uganda has good policies regarding waste management, but the problem is with implementation.
“In terms of policies, Uganda has some of the best policies, that other countries even come here to benchmark on our policies, to understand what are we or what have we passed? That we passed right? The issue we have is we speak and not act. Everything of ours is in theory, we are the most we are the best theoretical country and very little on the practical side. When we make decisions, we don’t follow up with them. When we put things into, policies into place, we don’t implement them, and that’s the problem.” He said.
Rulinda emphasized that Uganda does not require a landfill, instead, he proposed recycling as a solution and suggested the establishment of a recycling plant.
“The issue of garbage in Uganda is not in any way necessitating for us to create more dumping or landfills. What we need is a permanent solution for this, which is recycling. How do we recycle? We put up plants, or a plant, a national plant that caters to the whole of this country.” He said.
During the dialogue, Aketch revealed that a 2022 survey found that the majority of individuals who collect garbage are women, particularly older women who often lack the strength to manage it effectively. She added that, unfortunately, these women do not have access to personal protective equipment (PPE), putting their health at risk of disease.
