Solid waste management and cost recovery in Kampala City: A case study of Wabigalo Paris

Abstract

This report is of study on Solid Waste management and Cost Recovery in Kampala City, focusing on Wabigalo Parish located in Makindye Urban Council. Solid waste is an environmental and health problem whose effects have caused public outcry in the developed and developing world. Solid waste management problems in Africa are complex and vary based on political, social, economic, technical, regulatory, legal and infrastructural nature of a country. The situation in Kampala, especially in slum areas is alarming; expenditure is huge yet management practices are inadequate and vary across geographical locations due to a number of factors.

This study used case study and employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. Respondents were randomly and purposively selected. KCCA officials of Makindye Urban Council and Residents of Wabigalo Parish constituted key informants while LCI, LCII Chairmen and Executives participated in group discussions. In-depth interviews, questionnaires, observation and focus group discussions were used to obtain data. Households were classified into socio-economic classes as high, middle and low income based on factors such as size, environment, spacing and outlook of housing structures; availability of utilities like metered water and electricity.

Questionnaires were administered to households in the Parish in selected areas of high and low incomes. Responses from 80 households were obtained out of 85, a response rate of 94.1%. Personal interviews with officials and executives of MUC and the Parish including 10 zones were conducted to identify the garbage condition; household participation and to obtain views on waste campaigns carried out by the government through KCC and currently KCCA since 2000 – 2011.

The results indicate that household’s participation in waste management is still very low and cost recovery has not yet been realized. This is attributed to inadequate funding; lack of a specific policy on solid waste, lack of market value; poverty; poor authority-resident relationship; weak institutional capacity; inadequate sensitization, cultural beliefs, political interference, poor law enforcement and low citizens’ compliance, negative attitudes. Also, inadequate budgetary provisions to urban councils coupled with lack of adequate qualified personnel, lack of database, the land tenure system, poor technology and little awareness about waste management regulations make the local leaders poorly equipped to manage the garbage, although it is their obligatory duty.

Improved and sustainable solid waste management requires a comprehensive policy implementation framework to create mutual understanding by stakeholders. Policies that need review include trade policy, taxation policy, monetary policy, labour policy, housing policy; land policy, environment policy, education policy, and community policies among.