Local Government Minister Raphael Magezi has called for greater public involvement in waste management, emphasizing that individual responsibility is central to the success of the proposed National Waste Management Policy 2025.
Minister Magezi said the public must take an active role through proper waste separation at the household level, reducing littering, and embracing recycling practices.
He noted that while government and local authorities have a role to play, lasting solutions to Uganda’s waste crisis depend heavily on public behavior and participation.
These remarks were made during a validation meeting for the draft National Waste Management Policy organized by the Ministry of Local Government to review the draft policy before submission to Cabinet
The draft policy, was developed following Cabinet directives in response to the Kiteezi landfill disaster.
The Permanent Secretary of Ben Kumumanya the Ministry of Local Government announced that Uganda is in the final stages of developing a National Waste Management Policy aimed at transforming waste into a resource.
Speaking at a high-level inter-ministerial consultative meeting, Kumamanya said the policy is a direct response to a Cabinet directive and will address long-standing challenges in the waste sector, including inadequate infrastructure, weak enforcement, limited funding, and unclear roles among government entities.
The meeting held in Entebbe brought together key actors from government, the private sector, civil society, and development partners to build consensus before the draft policy is presented to Cabinet.
Waste management in Uganda, particularly in urban areas like Kampala, faces significant challenges. While there have been improvements in collection rates, particularly through private sector partnerships, alarge portion of waste is still not properly collected or disposed of, leading to environmental and health hazards. Landfills are struggling to cope with the volume of waste, and there’s a growing need for more sustainable and innovative solutions like recycling and waste reduction
Following the collapse of the Kiteezi Landfill, KCCA is focusing on decommissioning the site and transitioning to a new waste management approach, including a new waste disposal site at Ddundu and a transfer station. They are also working on a waste to energy and recycling strategy as a long-term solution. Additionally, KCCA is implementing emergency stabilsation works at Kiteezi to mitigate risks and conducting environmental and social safeguard studies for the new facility