Residents of Kiteezi have been warned of an impending disaster at the landfill, as cracks have been spotted on its western slope. Frank Rusa, the Acting Executive Director of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), made the revelation yesterday while appearing before the Presidential Affairs Committee.
Summoned to provide updates on compensation and waste management solutions in Kampala, Rusa emphasised the need for immediate action as security agencies and local governments have been alerted to urge people living within the buffer zone to evacuate due to the looming danger.
"I received a report this morning that another crack has been seen on the west side of the slope," Rusa stated, adding that authorities are intensifying efforts to ask residents to leave the area for their safety.
The Kiteezi landfill, which tragically claimed 35 lives with 10 people still missing, has become a focal point of concern as KCCA works to prevent further loss of life.
In response, KCCA is planning to relocate some of the willing residents to land purchased in Ddundu, Mukono district, intended for a new landfill site.
Rusa explained that KCCA is expediting the acquisition of two additional 200-acre sites on opposite sides of the city to alleviate the need for garbage trucks to crisscross the city toward one dumping site.
"Instead of carrying the garbage from Kiteezi to Ddundu, we think it makes sense to take the people to Ddundu and leave Kiteezi as a waste management facility," Rusa said.
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However, despite KCCA's plans, some residents are reluctant to move. "Some people want to go, some people are saying they don't want to go," Rusa noted.
While Rusa painted an optimistic picture about the future of waste management in Kampala, Rose Obigah (Terego DWR) remained unconvinced, criticising KCCA's handling of the city's waste management.
She expressed frustration over the large sums of money invested in Kampala, arguing that the city remains in a state of disrepair.
"A lot of money has been sunk into our city, but what we get as an end product is an embarrassment," Obigah remarked, referencing her personal experience of rain causing faeces to flow through the streets downtown.
Obigah further questioned KCCA's competence, pointing out that the Alternative Budget proposed by the Opposition in Parliament offered more effective solutions.
"What you have presented to this country is nothing but rubbish-uselessness," she said, demanding better strategies from the newly appointed KCCA team.
As Kampala's waste management issues remain in the spotlight, the Kiteezi landfill and the ongoing concerns about public safety have prompted calls for more decisive and effective action from KCCA to restore the city's cleanliness and protect its residents.
