As Kampala Capital grapples with its ongoing waste management crisis, Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago is pushing to stop the procurement process for a new landfill until a detailed technical report is provided.
This call comes amid growing concerns about the city’s handling of waste, which has worsened since the tragic Kiteezi waste slide that claimed over 30 lives.
Despite the urgent need for a proper disposal site, Kampala continues to generate large amounts of garbage daily without a suitable place to dispose of it.
To address this issue, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) set up a team to work with the Public Procurement and Disposal Unit (PPDU) to find land for a new landfill.
However, Lukwago and other city leaders are worried about the transparency of this process.
He has stressed that his call for a pause is legally mandated and aims to ensure that the process is both transparent and free from exploitation, which he believes has been a problem at various stages of the current procedure.
According to KCCA, the committee was supposed to start public vetting of land applications by September 13, but this process has yet to begin.
Lukwago has also contacted the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to speed up investigations into the Kiteezi incident and to suspend any KCCA officials currently under investigation.
His letter urges the IG to quickly release the report on the Kiteezi tragedy and to remove any implicated officials to prevent interference with the investigation.
Additionally, Lukwago is calling on Parliament to accelerate its review of the matter through the Committee of Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) and to provide a final decision as soon as possible.
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