Entebbe facing garbage collection crisis
Mar 19, 2008
DURING the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), residents in Division B, say you could not see garbage anywhere in their area. A few months after CHOGM, the same people are crying foul as garbage has accumulated so much in their division. <b>Gladys Kalibbala</b> sought the views of some
DURING the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), residents in Division B, say you could not see garbage anywhere in their area. A few months after CHOGM, the same people are crying foul as garbage has accumulated so much in their division. Gladys Kalibbala sought the views of some division officials and residents.
Joseph Ssesanga, chairman: We are financially handicapped after graduated tax was scrapped. We used to collect sh170m per year from graduated tax. However, we are going to start collecting pending dues of licenses from traders. We will be forced to close the shops of those who fail to clear their dues because we need money urgently.
During CHOGM, the central government contributed a lot towards fuel expenses for the removal of garbage. We have a 12-acre dumping site about 10 miles from Entebbe town, deep in Nkumba village.
The recent post-election violence in Kenya also affected us as fuel was expensive. Unless the central government covers the funding gaps, we cannot do much.
Charles Wasswa, vice-chairman:
We have a problem with the new garbage vehicle. Its mechanism is supposed to squeeze the garbage loaded into it, but we have metals, dead dogs and all sorts of wood or blocks dumped at the collecting centres. The vehicle is supposed to carry eight skips of garbage per route, but it can only manage to squeeze five skips. The three garbage tippers are parked most of the time because of lack of fuel. We need about five people on each vehicle to manually handle garbage collection. Unfortunately, most of the casual labourers were retrenched by Wakiso District for lack of money to pay them.
Sule Kato, health inspector:
We still have a problem with platforms used by the new garbage vehicle, as it cannot collect garbage on a flat surface. High raised platforms are supposed to be constructed at all our eight collecting centres, but so far, only three have been built. We are soliciting for more funds.
Stephen Nyakana, councillor for Lugonjo:
Our people need to be sensitised about proper use of the garbage skips. Some people burn the garbage inside the skips, which is dangerous because they get burnt and start leaking. We also have suspicions that some hotels, which do not belong to Division B, ferry their garbage in the night and dump it at our skips.
Semusu, boda boda cyclist:
Haven’t the LCs noticed pick-ups from State House dumping sacks of garbage in these skips late in the evenings?
Martin Musoke, a resident:
Garbage has accumulated because of the many new hotels in the municipality. Pieces of iron bars and wood are dumped at the garbage sites from the construction sites. The municipality should charge the institutions in charge a garbage fee to help in collection.
Agnes Nakku, a resident:
The municipality authorities should increase the number of skips in dumping areas. Although some people are careless and dump garbage anywhere, there are others who find the existing skips full and have nowhere to put it, so they throw it on the side. The authorities should, however, find means of clearing this garbage before we get diseases from an unhygienic environment.
Joseph Ssesanga, chairman: We are financially handicapped after graduated tax was scrapped. We used to collect sh170m per year from graduated tax. However, we are going to start collecting pending dues of licenses from traders. We will be forced to close the shops of those who fail to clear their dues because we need money urgently.
During CHOGM, the central government contributed a lot towards fuel expenses for the removal of garbage. We have a 12-acre dumping site about 10 miles from Entebbe town, deep in Nkumba village.
The recent post-election violence in Kenya also affected us as fuel was expensive. Unless the central government covers the funding gaps, we cannot do much.
Charles Wasswa, vice-chairman:
We have a problem with the new garbage vehicle. Its mechanism is supposed to squeeze the garbage loaded into it, but we have metals, dead dogs and all sorts of wood or blocks dumped at the collecting centres. The vehicle is supposed to carry eight skips of garbage per route, but it can only manage to squeeze five skips. The three garbage tippers are parked most of the time because of lack of fuel. We need about five people on each vehicle to manually handle garbage collection. Unfortunately, most of the casual labourers were retrenched by Wakiso District for lack of money to pay them.
Sule Kato, health inspector:
We still have a problem with platforms used by the new garbage vehicle, as it cannot collect garbage on a flat surface. High raised platforms are supposed to be constructed at all our eight collecting centres, but so far, only three have been built. We are soliciting for more funds.
Stephen Nyakana, councillor for Lugonjo:
Our people need to be sensitised about proper use of the garbage skips. Some people burn the garbage inside the skips, which is dangerous because they get burnt and start leaking. We also have suspicions that some hotels, which do not belong to Division B, ferry their garbage in the night and dump it at our skips.
Semusu, boda boda cyclist:
Haven’t the LCs noticed pick-ups from State House dumping sacks of garbage in these skips late in the evenings?
Martin Musoke, a resident:
Garbage has accumulated because of the many new hotels in the municipality. Pieces of iron bars and wood are dumped at the garbage sites from the construction sites. The municipality should charge the institutions in charge a garbage fee to help in collection.
Agnes Nakku, a resident:
The municipality authorities should increase the number of skips in dumping areas. Although some people are careless and dump garbage anywhere, there are others who find the existing skips full and have nowhere to put it, so they throw it on the side. The authorities should, however, find means of clearing this garbage before we get diseases from an unhygienic environment.