By Racheal N Namuli
Entebbe Municipal Council has failed to implement directives issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to improve waste management at the Nkumba-Bukolwa dumping site.
The directives were issued following a crisis last year when over 20 people lost their lives due to the overflow of the Kiteezi landfill in Kampala. In response, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) stopped garbage trucks from dumping waste at Kiteezi and sought alternative dumping sites, one of which was Nkumba in Entebbe Municipality.
Since then, the Nkumba site has received an estimated 100 tons of garbage per day, leading to a rapidly growing mountain of waste. This has triggered widespread complaints from residents about foul odors and excessive dust pollution in the area.
Local leaders and stakeholders, including Entebbe Mayor Fabrice Rulinda and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, attempted to intervene, but efforts to address the situation have largely been unsuccessful.
In November last year, NEMA issued several directives to the Entebbe Municipal Council to improve conditions at the site. These included the construction of a concrete wall to prevent sewage from leaking into the nearby wetland that drains into Lake Victoria, deploying water trucks to control dust, and redirecting garbage trucks to use Kasenyi Road instead of the university route, among others.
However, to date, none of these directives have been implemented. Deputy Mayor Charles Kabwama admitted that the council lacks the necessary funds to comply. He also revealed that KCCA had promised an inconvenience fee of approximately UGX 300 million to support the council’s efforts, but the funds were never received.
As the waste crisis deepens, residents continue to bear the brunt of poor environmental management and inaction from both municipal and national authorities.
