KCCA SMART CITY AMBASSADORS LEAD WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SANITATION DRIVE

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) today hosted a waste and sanitation engagement at Kitante Primary School, drawing Smart City Ambassadors from all 857 villages of the city.

The event, which kicked off at 10 am, is part of KCCA's ongoing efforts to rally grassroots to adopt innovative and sustainable methods for managing solid waste.

KCCA Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, addressed the gathering highlighting the inevitability of waste generation in urban areas but stressed that the key lies in how it is managed.

"Garbage is not going to go away, but how we handle it is crucial," she said

The meeting was in response to the urgent issue of garbage management, which has become increasingly pressing following the collapse of the Kiteezi Landfill on August 10.

Since then, KCCA has been grappling with waste disposal challenges, temporarily relocating garbage dumping to Katikolo in Mukono district. Meanwhile, the government is actively seeking a permanent solution that will focus on waste-to-energy conversion and recycling to address the city's long-term waste management needs.

Kisaka reaffirmed KCCA’s commitment to the Smart City Agenda, which is built on three foundational pillars: Technology, Infrastructure, and People Well-being.

"Our goal is to create a city that leverages technology and robust infrastructure to improve the quality of life for all residents," she said. "But this requires a collective effort everyone has a role to play in managing waste effectively."

Kisaka and other officials also took the opportunity to educate participants on the proper disposal of garbage in the city.

"If we sort our garbage, particularly organic waste, it will naturally disintegrate, making it easier for households to turn waste into something useful," Kisaka explained.

She also called on the public to cease the harmful habit of discarding waste from vehicles, advocating instead for a culture of responsibility where every citizen contributes to a cleaner environment.

Central Division Mayor, Salim Uhuru, urged residents to take ownership of the cleanliness of their city to fight against urban waste.

 "We are all in this together," Uhuru said. "Managing garbage cannot be left to KCCA alone, this is our city, and we must start from our homes. Each one of us has a duty to ensure our surroundings are clean."

Dr. Sarah Zalwango, Deputy Director of Medical Services at KCCA, provided a health perspective on waste management, highlighting the dangers of poor waste disposal practices.

"Improper disposal of garbage, especially dumping in drainages, is harmful," Dr. Zalwango warned. She reinforced the importance of the "3 Rs of Waste Management"—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—and encouraged residents to play their part in solving the city's garbage problem.

As the event concluded, participants were reminded that keeping Kampala clean is not just a job for KCCA but a duty for all who live in the city.