Members of Parliament have faulted Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for the death of 22 individuals in the Kiteezi landfill disaster.
On Saturday morning, a section of garbage in the Kiteezi landfill gave way, burying houses and other property. With the authority undermined by the public, it was no different during Tuesday’s Plenary. During the plenary chaired by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, MPs re-echoed sentiments of negligence by KCCA.
They cited KCCA’s failure to decommission the landfill despite numerous warnings from experts. In 2011, KCCA announced that the Kiteezi landfill had reached capacity. At the time, the Authority intended to transfer the operations to Dundu in Mukono. Despite purchasing over 130 acres in Mukono, the Authority has been operating Kiteezi to the dismay of MPs. Amuru DWR Susan Amero was particularly disturbed by the number of years the Dundu site has been dormant.
“A colleague has said that Parliament hasn’t given this issue much attention. We gave money to KCCA to purchase Ddundu land. But I want to ask, what are our priorities in this country? Do we need to buy land before we conduct a feasibility study to establish that what we intend to establish can stand the test of time? Because now, the 134 acres of land in Ddundu are idle for all those years I have been in this House. And now, we have the Kiteezi problem which they had promised at the time they pushed the Committee to give the money?” – Susan Amero (Amuru DWR).
Similarly, MPs decried the frustration the authority puts investors through who have alternatives for sustainable management of waste. Bugabula North MP John Teira revealed that this has happened to him on three separate occasions. Gabula, who is a city lawyer, told Parliament that potential investors he was representing had ideas to generate electricity from Kiteezi. This was to be at a cost less than half of what Bujagali charges the national grid. Despite conducting feasibility studies and formally presenting the proposals to KCCA, the investors were continuously rejected.
Minister of Kampala Capital City & Metropolitan Affairs, Minsa Kabanda, refuted the MPs’ submissions. She acknowledged the disaster but said KCCA hadn’t been idly looking on.
“As KCCA, we have done a lot. We have talked to the investors who are willing to assist us. If we can’t decommission this land, we have looked for investors. Right now, we have two investors who are willing to work with us. However, the tariffs were a bit high. Otherwise, we haven’t just been seated. We have been working on this issue; we knew this issue since 2018. It has been ongoing and it is Parliament and Cabinet to start working on that issue. Otherwise, we are sorry for what took place but we are going to work hand in hand.” – Minister Kabanda.
Mbarara City Woman MP Rita Atukwasa criticized KCCA for wasting money on ineffective waste management projects. She argued that KCCA should set an example by using bins that separate waste into categories. Additionally, she highlighted the plight Mbarara City is facing with the Kenkombe dumping site.
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