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The Saturday morning disaster at Kiteezi landfill in Kasangati Town Council, Wakiso District, has brought to the fore question whether Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) can manage waste disposal in the city.

Concerns that the landfill had outlived its lifespan were raised nearly 10 years ago, but the city authorities watched on as the situation worsened until disaster struck.

Authorities yesterday confirmed 25 bodies had been retrieved, more than 14 victims rescued, several livestock killed, and properties worth millions lost following the collapse of the landfill.

Data from Kampala Waste Management Report for 2023 shows the city generates up to between 2,000 and 2,500 tons of waste daily but is only able to collect and dispose of an average of 1,300 to 1,500 tons per day. This implies about 50 percent of the waste is uncollected or improperly disposed of.

The waste management report says such garbage remains a prime environmental concern in the city because it is a major cause of ungazetted waste dumpsites in all the five divisions of Kampala and Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.

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