Mukono Residents Protest Delayed Garbage Collection After Community Clean-Up Drive

What the report says

Nile Post reported that residents of Mukono Town are protesting delays in garbage collection after a community clean-up exercise left heaps of waste on several streets for three days. The affected areas include Ntawo Road, Kitega, Wantoni, Gulu A, Kitete and other parts of Mukono Central Division. Residents said the waste has obstructed parts of roads, made access difficult and created an unpleasant environment.

According to the report, some residents in Nasuuti Village dumped garbage at the gate of Mukono Central Division Chairperson Bogere Nsensebuse to draw attention to the problem. They argued that after taking part in cleaning their communities, local government should have ensured prompt transport and disposal of the collected waste. Patrick Ssesanga, identified as a carpenter in Kitega Village, linked the delays to limited support for lower local governments, especially a shortage of collection trucks.

Food vendors also raised concerns, saying garbage near restaurants was producing a bad smell, affecting customers and posing possible public health concerns. Some warned they may avoid future clean-up drives if authorities do not arrange timely collection. Gulu Ward Chairperson Hannington Kanyike praised residents for participating but cautioned that failure to remove waste quickly could reduce public willingness to join similar efforts in future.

Nsensebuse condemned the dumping of garbage at her residence, while acknowledging residents’ frustration and saying the division was working to clear the waste. She said Mukono has only two garbage collection trucks, one of which is serving Goma Division, slowing operations across the municipality. The episode highlights the practical challenge local authorities face when community sanitation campaigns generate more waste than available collection capacity can immediately handle.