KCCA fast-tracks Buyala waste facility amid Kiteezi phase-out

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Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform waste management in the city, centred on the development of a modern Integrated Waste Management and Resource Recovery Facility in Buyala, Mpigi district.

Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre on Monday, August 4, 2025, KCCA executive director Sharifah Buzeki described the 230-hectare Buyala facility as a “game-changer” for the city’s sanitation and sustainability efforts.

“Our biggest victory this year has been securing a 230-hectare site in Buyala for a modern Integrated Waste Management and Resource Recovery Facility,” Buzeki said.

“This came as a direct response to the challenge at Kiteezi landfill, which has long outlived its usefulness.”

According to Buzeki, preparations to operationalise the Buyala site are in the final stages.

“We plan to start using the new site in this financial year. We are currently finalising site setup and infrastructure to ensure a smooth transfer of operations,” she said.

In the meantime, KCCA has initiated the decommissioning of Kiteezi landfill with support from the Japanese government through UN-Habitat. The focus is on mitigating hazards such as gas emissions, leachate contamination, and slope instability across a 7-acre portion of the site.

“We received a grant of sh3,537,477,000 million (USD 1 million) for immediate interventions,” Buzeki revealed.

“We are now in the process of sourcing a contractor to repurpose the rest of the 39-acre site.”

Buzeki emphasised that the authority’s approach goes beyond infrastructure.

“Waste management is also about changing mindsets,” she said.

“That’s why we continue our weekly community clean-up drives and run the ongoing ‘No Litter’ campaign.”

“We’re reminding everyone that a clean city is a shared responsibility,” she added.

“City dwellers are expected to use litter bins or retain their rubbish until they find one.”

KCCA has also contracted 4,032 vulnerable residents under a reservation scheme to sweep and clean the city.

“These workers are now fully paid and actively contributing to keeping Kampala clean,” Buzeki noted.

Efforts to enforce waste laws are also intensifying. “Our enforcement team has done great work arresting those who dump irresponsibly,” she said, calling on the media to support public sensitisation efforts.

However, she warned that critical logistical gaps remain. “We still need garbage trucks for all 100 parishes. Without adequate logistics, our efforts will be undermined.”

Compensation at Kiteezi underway

In August 2024, the landfill made headlines after a massive garbage slide displaced 142 households and destroyed property. Since then, KCCA, working with the Office of the Prime Minister, has spearheaded a multi-agency response.

“So far, we have compensated 18 households affected during the emergency excavation. Additionally, valuation for 34 submerged homes has been approved at sh2.14 billion,” Buzeki disclosed. A structural analysis for 70 more homes has also been completed and is awaiting action.

She noted that they are now sourcing a contractor to fully remediate and repurpose the remaining part of the landfill and reiterated that the new Buyala facility is central to the city’s transition to a more sustainable waste management model.

“We cannot allow another Kiteezi to happen,” Buzeki warned. “Our new strategy prioritises environmental safety, community inclusion, and circular waste practices.”