The village of Katikolo in Mukono Municipality, is making headlines for a surprising reason, it’s now home to a landfill that’s helping clean up Kampala’s trash.
What was once a quiet, rural area is now in the spotlight for its role in managing the city’s growing garbage problem.
This change came after a serious incident at Kiteezi landfill, the main site for Kampala’s waste, which has become too dangerous to use.
Katikolo has been chosen as a temporary solution, with the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) allowed to use the site for three days.
However, this comes with a promise from the government to help Katikolo secure more land for a proper waste treatment plant.
This new role is a big shift for the village, turning it into a crucial part of solving Kampala’s waste issues.
Residents are raising concerns about who actually owns the land at the Katikolo landfill.
According to records from the Municipal Council, ten acres were purchased in 2006, but recently, six of those acres have been taken over by other parties, and the municipality has been slow to address this.
There are rumors that local leaders might be involved in occupying this land. Plans were made to expand the Katikolo landfill to 30 acres, with each acre valued at UGX150 million by the government valuer.
Now, residents are demanding that the encroachers be identified.
Jack Sseremba, a Mukono resident, has called for municipal officials to publicly display the land title, as it is clearly marked.
“On top of that they should publicly declare the surrounding claimant of land willing sell off as a way of creating more space for the establishment of the plant,” Sseremba says adding that with evidence from the land office, the town clerk should come out transparent.
“There is a ploy to selling land belonging to it again. This is mainly the encroached land,” he added.
The recent council suggested identification of encroachers and how they acquired ownershipon government land.
However, Speaker Dorah Nakaddu declined to pass this resolution for reasons that are not fully explained.
Attempts to review the land title to confirm its details, including the date it was issued, its size, and the names on it, have been unsuccessful.
Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi has stated that while the title is available, it is currently not accessible to the public.
This skepticism arises as the municipality seeks donor funding to build a transfer station and fecal sludge treatment plant, with the condition of providing at least 30 acres of land.
George Masengere, the environment officer at Mukono, has confirmed that partnerships with organisations like the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the European Union are in place to develop a comprehensive waste management strategy.
Current affairs analysts in Mukono are concerned that without strict oversight, municipal officials might exploit the program for personal gain.
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