The City Executive Committee (CEC) of Kampala City has urged the government to develop a settlement plan for residents still living near the Kiteezi dumpsite to prevent any potential disasters in the future.
They point out that it is two months since the Kiteezi Landfill collapsed, yet the government has not provided a clear plan.
Erias Lukwago, the chairman of CEC and Lord Mayor, noted that in the wake of a disaster as significant as the Kiteezi tragedy, it is anticipated that the government would promptly establish a robust inter-agency coordination committee to effectively handle the crisis to avoid the same in future.
Lukwago expressed disappointment regarding the situation following the Kiteezi incident, the matter has not been addressed effectively.
He criticized the current approach as disorganized and lacking direction, resulting in no progress.
He mentioned that his office had received a notification from the Prime Minister’s office, cautioning Kiteezi residents about the potential for a second disaster.
He pointed out that there are existing structures in place for managing Kiteezi, and his office was informed through a letter from the Office of the Prime Minister about the warning.
The Prime Minister’s Office has issued a warning about the potential for a second collapse at Kiteezi if immediate measures are not implemented.
With heavy rainfall expected in the city, the landfill is at risk of facing another disaster.
The letter from Lilian Aber, the State Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, dated October 11, 2024, addressed to the Resident District Commissioner of Wakiso, the Lord Mayor of Kampala, the LCV, and the Mayor of Wakiso, emphasizes the critical threat posed by the persistent rainfall.
Additionally, this correspondence was also copied to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, Hillary Onek, Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda, Members of Parliament from Wakiso, the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Chief Administrative Officer of Wakiso, and the Ag. Executive Director of KCCA.
“We have received a new disturbing report from National Emergency Coordination and Operation (NECOC) about the status and fragile nature of the Garbage Mountain in Kiteezi landfill,” the letter reads in parts.
The minister indicates in his communication that the persistent heavy rainfall presents a threat of a second “This is to request you to urgently mobilize and warn the population around the Landfill of the risk and advise them to vacate to save life,”she noted.
During a press conference, Lukwago revealed that the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees sent a letter to his office, alerting them to the risk of a second collapse at Kiteezi.
He told reporters that the government has not yet developed settlement plans for the affected individuals and stressed the importance of creating systematic arrangements at the Kiteezi landfill after the first incident.
“Immediately after the Kiteezi incident government should have set up an effective inter agency coordination committee,” Lukwago said,
Lukwago expressed concerns regarding the central government’s current approach to managing Kiteezi and the city’s solid waste.
He alleged that the process is fraught with illegalities, contradictions, discrepancies, and excessive costs.
He pointed out that the Jaspong Group, a Ghanaian company that has assumed control of Kiteezi, did not adhere to the proper procedures set forth by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), saying the management was transferred to them by the Minister for Kampala.
The PPDA serves as the primary regulatory authority for public procurement and disposal, and it is mandatory for all government departments and agencies to comply with public procurement laws.
Lukwago indicated that KCCA has already entered into a collaboration with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to seek funding solutions and partnerships with Japanese companies focused on waste management efforts.
“We have leant that the same Minister of Kampala initiated negotiations regarding the management of Kiteezi and Solid waste with Metrecons Solution and Advocates through a collaboration proposal where the company will have a 70% share while KCCA 30%,” he noted.
On August 10, 2024, the Kiteezi landfill collapsed resulting in the deaths of approximately 35 individuals, with several others reported missing.
The landfill occupies 36 acres and provides waste management services to the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi, and Mukono.
The Criminal Investigations Directorate has called upon former three senior top officials of KCCA, namely Dorothy Kisaka (Executive Director), Eng. David Luyimbazi (Deputy Executive Director), and Director Daniel Okello (Director of Public Health), to appear on October 17, 2024. Their dismissal by President Yoweri Museveni was prompted by a report from the Inspector General of Government that highlighted instances of negligence.
