KCCA Leads Initiative to Boost Waste Management Awareness, Highlights Vision of Equitable and Universal Access to Sanitation in Kampala

By John Kusolo

In a bid to improve waste management practices and foster greater awareness, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) recently held a media engagement session, training over 50 journalists on effective waste management strategies. The event, held at City Hall, aimed to equip journalists with essential knowledge, empowering them to influence public behavior and promote responsible waste practices among Kampala’s residents. This initiative comes at a time when KCCA is intensifying efforts to address waste management challenges in the city.

Dr. Sarah Zalwango, KCCA's Acting Director of Public Health and Environment, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the media’s unique role in shaping public opinion and encouraging responsible waste disposal. “Waste management is everyone’s responsibility,” she said. “If we all do our part, we can manage garbage effectively and keep our city clean.” Zalwango called upon journalists to lead by example and prioritize stories on waste management that could positively impact community behavior around waste disposal.

Dr. Zalwango outlined recent KCCA efforts, including identifying and eliminating illegal garbage sites across Kampala and actively educating the public on the significance of proper waste management. Given the collapse of the Kiteezi landfill, KCCA has transitioned to transporting garbage to the Katikolo site in Mukono District, underscoring the city’s urgent need for sustainable waste management solutions. She encouraged the media to endorse the “3Rs” approach—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—as a core principle in reducing waste generation within the city.

With improper waste disposal a growing concern, KCCA has intensified its enforcement against illegal dumping, especially in drainage systems and toilets. Dr. Zalwango warned that individuals caught engaging in these activities will face strict legal action, including potential arrest and prosecution. “Throwing garbage in drainage systems or toilets has to stop,” she asserted. “Let’s all take responsibility for keeping our city clean.”

Pearl Kobusingye, a Social Behavioral Change Communication Specialist with USAID’s Social and Behavior Change Activity, also addressed the journalists, emphasizing the power of collective responsibility. She urged both journalists and citizens to work together to create a cleaner Kampala, stressing that community engagement is essential to bringing about lasting change. “Our role as citizens is crucial, and we must all engage to bring about change,” she said.

In a keynote address, Kaula Henry, KCCA’s Manager of Health Inspection, Education, and Sanitation, introduced the City Wide Integrated Sanitation (CWIS) Program, which builds on the recently concluded Phase 2 of the Kampala Faecal Sludge Management (KFSM) Project. The CWIS program aims to enhance sanitation services in Kampala, particularly focusing on equitable access for underserved urban poor households, public institutions, and transient populations, including refugee communities.

“The objective of the CWIS Program is to upscale faecal sludge management (FSM) services in Kampala City,” Kaula explained, “with catalytic investments to improve access to on-site sanitation services. This program primarily targets the underserved urban poor, ensuring that sanitation resources are accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status.” He emphasized that equitable sanitation access in Kampala is a fundamental part of creating a sustainable and healthy urban environment.

The CWIS Program’s scope centers around three primary pillars, each critical in promoting equitable and inclusive sanitation services:

The program is working to ensure that at least 80% of the faecal sludge generated across the city is managed safely. KCCA has invested in innovative delivery models that cater to Kampala’s transient population, with particular attention on increasing private sector participation and adopting scalable and advanced FSM technologies.

The program seeks to increase the volume of faecal sludge managed in informal settlements by up to 60%. This intervention prioritizes the needs of urban poor communities, emphasizing improved household sanitation. A dedicated sanitation marketing approach is also being promoted to create a sustainable demand-supply ecosystem for FSM products and services.

By developing a spatially differentiated model, KCCA aims to establish minimum sanitation service standards citywide. This approach will empower community-led sanitation initiatives, offering a practical framework for other municipalities. Notably, the program places a strong emphasis on gender equity, fostering women’s participation in sanitation decision-making and entrepreneurship by creating inclusive forums.

Kaula added that KCCA is committed to setting up a knowledge-sharing and learning framework to promote sustainable urban sanitation solutions. By refining the KCCA model, the authority aims to influence national policies, support other municipalities in developing FSM capabilities, and inspire further research to address service gaps across the sanitation sector.

The engagement session also tackled knowledge gaps by educating journalists on relevant laws and regulations related to waste management, compliance measures, and the latest waste generation statistics in Kampala. Journalists were encouraged to feature stories that highlight responsible waste management, aiming to transform community behavior.

The media engagement session successfully strengthened the bridge between KCCA and Kampala’s media community, fostering a partnership geared towards a cleaner, more sustainable city. By amplifying waste management and sanitation awareness, journalists now hold a powerful tool to drive community action and promote a healthier urban environment.

With initiatives like the CWIS Program and ongoing community education, KCCA envisions a Kampala where equitable and inclusive sanitation services are accessible to all. Through such programs, KCCA is laying the foundation for a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable city for future generations.