Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Pastor Alex Okello, the Team Director of Mission Beyond Frontiers, has called on City and Municipal Governments to enforce proper waste management by fining individuals who fail to separate waste and those who recklessly dump refuse on the streets.
Mr. Okello, a Passionate Evangelist and advocate for responsible waste management , expressed concern that Uganda faces increasing threats each year from environmental, health, and life-threatening hazards caused by careless waste disposal.
He cited a recent Uganda Bureau of Statistics report indicating that only about 8% to 40% of generated waste is safely collected and managed. The remaining refuse is often dumped into drainage channels or wetlands, leading to severe public health and environmental risks.
Okello also shared that last year, his organization, Mission Beyond Frontiers, conducted a survey around Kabale Municipality to assess the state of waste management systems.
They were shocked at the sight of street children at the Kirengyere Garbage Centre using their bare hands to dig for metal scraps and plastics in unsorted garbage.
”We felt immense pain witnessing those homeless children, completely unaware of how harmful the waste could be to their lives,” he said.
He attributed this situation to lax enforcement of laws requiring waste sorting and separation at the source. He emphasized the importance of strict adherence to the laws, particularly the National Environment (Waste Management) Regulations, S.I. No. 49 of 2020.
Specifically, Regulation 26 mandates the segregation of hazardous domestic and municipal waste from non-hazardous waste. Regulation 18(3) states that unseparated waste is considered hazardous, potentially resulting in hefty penalties.
”Had we different containers for waste; red for hazardous materials, green for biodegradable waste, blue for glass, black for metal, and yellow for plastics which can be recycled, we could significantly reduce environmental degradation and mitigate life-threatening health risks caused by poor waste disposal,” he explained.
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Pastor Okello proposed imposing severe penalties on Ugandans who recklessly dump waste in streets, especially in urban centers. He also called for the recruitment of “scouts” to enforce these penalties.
He commended the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for already deploying such scouts.
”Let our city and municipal authorities also deploy these scouts. If someone throws waste from a vehicle onto the street, they should record the vehicle’s number plate for fines. Part of the revenue collected could be used to sustain the work of these scouts,” he suggested.
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Additionally, Okello proposed integrating proper and safe waste disposal education into the school curriculum, particularly at the primary level. He argued that equipping children with environmental awareness could foster a responsible attitude towards waste management in the future.
”The challenge largely stems from mindset issues. Adults are harder to influence, but children can be nurtured and raised as responsible waste managers,” he said. “If the younger generation grows up understanding the importance of proper waste disposal, future enforcement of laws may no longer be necessary.”
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Pastor Okello’s statements rhyme with words of Dr. Samuel Kazimba Mugalu, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, who has consistently expressed concern about poor garbage Disposal in the country.
The Archbishop once proposed a ban on polyethene bags and plastic bottles in all churches of Uganda to prevent them from being litttered in the places of worship.
UBOS reports indicate that Uganda’s waste management system is under immense pressure due to rapid population growth and urbanization.
Kampala alone generates roughly 2,000 to 2,500 tons of garbage daily. However, systemic inefficiencies and limited funding mean only about half of this waste is formally collected.
The city heavily relied on the Kiteezi Dumpsite, which eventually reached capacity. Its collapse in August 2024 resulted in the tragic death of 35 people.
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