Residents and conservationists are outraged as Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) continues to dump garbage in the Buto-Buvuma Central Forest Reserve (CFR) and Mayanja Swamp in Mpigi District, defying agreements reached by key stakeholders. Despite efforts to resolve the issue, KCCA trucks continue to unload nearly 100 tons of waste daily in the forest reserve, threatening the environment and local livelihoods.
In a meeting chaired by Hon. Beatrice Anywar Atim, the State Minister for Environment, with representatives from KCCA, the National Forestry Authority (NFA), and the Ministry of Water and Environment, it was decided that Buto-Buvuma CFR should remain untouched. An alternative dumping site was allocated in Seeta. However, KCCA has disregarded this resolution, with ongoing garbage disposal and road expansion activities inside the forest reserve, according to Barongo Bernace, NFA’s Sector Manager for Lwamunda.
“The KCCA is targeting Mayanja Swamp and continues to clear land inside the forest reserve, despite NFA’s offer of land in Seeta,” Barongo said. The affected area, located in Buyala Parish, Mpigi District, serves as a vital water catchment for surrounding communities. Local residents, including Jeremiah Chesang, condemned the dumping as an act of poisoning water sources, noting that Busunjju and Muduuma communities rely on these natural catchment areas for water.
Meanwhile, the newly sworn-in KCCA Executive Director, Sharifah Buzeki, promised to prioritize securing land for waste disposal in her tenure. During her inauguration on January 8 in Kampala, Buzeki acknowledged the need to fast-track the process of acquiring proper disposal sites to manage city waste.
The local community of Ensujumpolwe village, who have worked closely with NFA in protecting the forest and wetland, expressed their disappointment. Chairman LCI Namukwaya lamented that the efforts of local residents to conserve the forest and swamp have been ignored. Buto-Buvuma CFR spans 1,096 hectares and plays a critical role in protecting the Mayanja Swamp and River, which flows into Lake Victoria through the Katonga River.
Residents like Ruth Byaruhanga and Julius Kazwenjye from Kikomo Village voiced their concern for their tree crops and the future of their Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) projects. They revealed that they were not consulted or informed by either KCCA or NFA about the ongoing garbage dumping.
Aldon Walukamba, Communications and Public Relations Manager at NFA, vowed to hold accountable the individuals responsible for the illegal waste dumping. “We will expose and bring to book those selfish individuals unlawfully pushing for the clearance and dumping of garbage in Buto-Buvuma CFR and Mayanja Swamp,” Walukamba said, reaffirming NFA’s commitment to managing and protecting Uganda’s forest reserves.
As tensions rise, stakeholders are calling for immediate intervention to prevent further environmental degradation in Mpigi District.
