Adwa’s legacy vs Africa’s garbage

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OPINION

By Simon Kaheru

This week, we got to celebrate 130 years of the Victory of the Battle of Adwa — that glorious tale of the Abyssinian Victory over Italian attempts to colonise Ethiopia back in 1896.

The story of that victory needs to be mandatory reading for all schoolchildren, told to them from the age of three onwards.

It was a victory that all the people of Ethiopia are proud of because of what it meant for them and for us, Africans.

The pride that comes with the Battle of Adwa will never ebb. Last year, they (Ethiopia) again launched the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and called it “The New Adwa”.

The Ethiopian dam is a major victory that proved the same as the original Adwa victory — self-reliance, determination and the inner strength of Africans to achieve what they needed to do all on their own. AND while being fought by strong external forces.

What I enjoyed most about the Ethiopian dam, besides the actual celebrations and entertaining accompaniments, was learning that Ethiopians from many walks of life call it “Our Dam” and even “My Dam”.

Why?

They contributed money — hard cash — from their own pockets besides the taxes they pay to the government. And they do not pay small small taxes, those guys in Ethiopia!

“The dam was almost entirely self-funded by Ethiopia through domestic resources, government bonds purchased by citizens and the diaspora, and voluntary contributions, with costs exceeding $4.6b-$5b. Ethiopia did not rely on foreign aid for the construction,” says the internet.

Funds were raised through “Renaissance Bonds” purchased by Ethiopians locally and abroad, along with salary deductions for civil servants.

Over the years, I have seen many photos and video clips of really ordinary old Ethiopian ladies and young, bedraggled garbage collectors holding their receipts from their GERD contributions. They purchased “Renaissance Bonds”, the lowest of which went for the equivalent of less than sh2,500.

It is humbling. We should be humbled.

Sometimes, when you see photographs of people enjoying life in Kampala or Wakiso lounges or at lavish Sunday brunches or showing off brand new cars at vast wedding receptions, think of those old ladies and young Ethiopians.

And be humbled

One documentary about the dam featured some garbage collectors and scavengers who committed a portion of their weekly earnings to buying the bonds so they could finance the Ethiopian dam.

So when I read the headline this week “320 Town Councils Choke on Garbage, Auditor General Raises Red Flag”.

The Auditor General’s Report of 2025 says that “at least 320 town councils lack adequate garbage collection equipment such as garbage trucks, skip loaders and tractors, leaving local authorities unable to effectively collect and dispose of solid waste.”

What an absolute shame

“As a result,” the story continues, many town councils have been forced to resort to unsafe waste disposal methods, with garbage being dumped along roadsides and in public spaces.”

Have been forced to? Be serious!

That is garbage talk (no pun). No one has been “forced to” do anything. This is just a lame excuse used by unserious people.

Imagine if the Ethiopians 130 years ago had taken this sort of attitude when the Italians really tried to force them to accept European domination and rule. They refused (pun unintended) and fought them all across the mountains of Adwa and right back to Italy.

Today, 320 municipal councils with ‘leaders’ (mbu) are being defeated by garbage.

Claiming that they cannot buy garbage skips or even make them locally? Adults are here saying that they do not know how to make compost out of garbage? People who went to school and studied mathematics and science at primary school level do not know how dangerous it is for garbage disposal to be ignored?

Meanwhile, the same news report states that Uganda has 357 town councils. Do the maths and be further ashamed at how widespread this problem is.

130 years ago, an entire populace in an African country took up arms with pride against foreign domination because they believed that, as Africans, they deserved better.

Today, garbage is defeating Africans.

And, soon, we might see a media report about a European organisation donating garbage disposal assistance to African ‘leaders’ wearing European suits and neckties and applauding.

Garbage!

Instead of the African Spirit of Adwa that would have had us issuing, lazima, Garbage Bonds to deal with our own rubbish.

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@skaheru