Kampala suburbs still littered with garbage days after National Cleaning Day

What the report says

Kampala suburbs are still facing piles of uncollected waste nearly a week after the first National Cleaning Day, according to a Uganda Radio Network survey cited by The Independent Uganda. The report said garbage remained along roadsides and near homes and businesses in areas including Bwaise, Munaku, Nabulagala in Lubaga Division, Kawempe Tula Road, Kyadondo Medical Centre Junction and Kibuli.

The heaviest complaints came from Mukalazi Road in Bwaise, where residents said waste left after the cleanup had started to rot, producing bad odors and attracting flies and maggots. People living and working nearby warned that the delay could raise health risks and hurt businesses, especially where heaps were placed outside restaurants, kiosks and shops. Some residents also said others had begun burning the trash, creating air pollution concerns.

Kampala Capital City Authority said it had already cleared most of the garbage generated during the nationwide exercise but acknowledged that collection was still continuing in some communities. Its executive director said the city produced an unusually large amount of waste, with Makindye Division generating the most, and said more than 15 trucks had been deployed there. The authority also said future cleanup days will be handled differently, with residents expected to take waste directly to collection trucks and to be enrolled in regular garbage collection services.

The issue matters because it highlights the gap between a public cleanup campaign and the city’s waste management capacity. As reported by The Independent Uganda, residents are urging KCCA to finish the job quickly before the remaining rubbish becomes a broader public health problem.