Public sanitation is the new goldmine

By Samuel Sanya and Raymond Baguma

Brian Kiyingi smiles broadly at the sight of a pit latrine. While the latrines are better known for their filth and stench to most of us, they are a godsend to young investors like him.

“In just one week, I have been able to make sh900,000 from emptying latrines. There is no job in Kampala that can pay like this one,” Kiyingi says.`

Recent studies by GTZ-RUWASS indicate that 65% of houses are without a good toilet, while 85% of tenants surveyed in 2012 complained of poor hygiene, especially among shared facilities.

Armed with these statistics, Kiyingi employed two young workers and purchased ten 200 liter liquid waste barrels.

Now he makes about sh100,000 every day from emptying toilets in the Kampala suburbs of Bwaise, Ntinda and Kamwokya. Each barrel goes for between 25,000 and 30,000.

“Many people cannot afford the sh200,000 for a waste removal truck. Even then, due to the poor urban planning policies, the trucks cannot navigate through the croweded houses in the slums,” he says.

“I have found that there are many tenants who would rather empty their latrines than construct a new latrine,” he adds.

Studies by Captiva Africa indicate that the sanitation sector can generate up to sh130b annually in latrine construction, emptying waste and waste reuse through manure.

The study revealed that Kampala alone has a market potential of sh31.2b annually from emptying pit latrines alone.