Sh2.5b Hoima waste plant abandoned

Oct 07, 2013

A multi-billion waste plant at Kibati cell in Kahoora division, Hoima municipality is still lying idle almost year after National Environmental Management Authority commissioned it

By Robert Atuhairwe

A multi-billion waste plant at Kibati cell in Kahoora division, Hoima municipality is still lying idle almost year after National Environmental Management Authority commissioned it.

The sh2.5b compost plant handed over to Hoima municipal authorities in November last year was constructed to help in the effective management of garbage in the municipality.

It is supposed to turn garbage collected into manure that can be sold to farmers at a subsidised fee.

The plant, which is on a three-acre piece of land about three kilometres from Hoima town according to officials is lying unused over lack of equipment that are supposed to be used at the site.

Ronald Kyamanywa, the municipal environmental officer told New Vision on Friday that they started work at the site in July, but had to stop in August after the protective gear the workers wear while sorting garbage got worn out.

“We are also short of gumboots, gloves, fork hoes; wheelbarrows and spades. We are lacking an oxygen meter and thermometer that are used for measuring the temperature to determine whether garbage is fermenting,” he said.

Gloves cost between sh10,000 and sh12,000 on the market. Kyamanywa said they need at least two pairs for each of the 15 workers.

He said the delay in acquiring these equipment was being caused by the usual delays in the procurement process.

“The procurement process is almost complete. We are done with evaluation and are in the process of displaying and hopefully, in a month’s time, we shall resume work,” he said.

He said the delay was caused by the need to take the workers for a one month induction course in garbage sorting in Fort-Portal, where they have a similar project.

The site is currently used as a garbage disposal point, but has no power or water.

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