Tragedy at Kampala's Kiteezi Dump: The Cost of Neglect and Mismanagement

The fatal incident at the Kiteezi landfill sheds light on the dire conditions faced by rubbish collectors and highlights the urgent need for government intervention and improved waste management strategies.

Fighting back tears, 22-year-old rubbish collector Okuku Prince reflects on the day his best friend Sanya Kezia was fatally crushed under a landslide at the Kiteezi dump in Kampala, Uganda. The August tragedy claimed 30 lives, and Prince believes that some victims remain buried beneath the garbage. “I think some people are still underneath the garbage,” he expressed in a recent BBC interview.

The Kiteezi dump's collapse followed weeks of heavy rain, raising questions about the site’s structural integrity. Many of the victims, like Prince, relied on the dump for their livelihoods by salvaging and selling discarded items. Prince, who had to discontinue his law studies due to financial constraints, now struggles to make ends meet by collecting and selling polythene bags for a daily income of 10,000 Ugandan shillings (around $2.70).

The aftermath of the collapse has been grim, as rescue operations failed to provide dignity for the deceased. While compensation was given to families of the dead, over 200 individuals who lost their homes amid the rescue efforts have received nothing, leading local authorities to admit, “we are waiting for the valuation and budget allocation.”

The disaster has sparked a blame-game between Kampala's city council and the central government, yet many believe the collapse was preventable. Urban planner Frank Muramuzi criticized the long-standing practice of dumping mixed waste in one location and outlined the need for improved facilities and periodic monitoring.

Despite the Kiteezi landfill being operational since 1996 and originally funded by the World Bank, it has grown into a massive site spanning 15 hectares. The amount of waste generated by Kampala is staggering, with an estimated 2,500 tonnes produced daily, leading to critical overcrowding at the site.

Compounding these issues is a lack of on-site recycling and sorting capabilities, which could mitigate hazard risks. Future initiatives are in discussion to process organic waste into compost and promote waste sorting among residents. However, for those who have suffered loss, these plans feel too late and insufficient.

“We lost our friend. All that transpired in the process was sorrow,” says Prince, expressing the community's heart-wrenching loss and frustration, compounded by unmet promises of assistance and compensation from authorities. The lack of immediate action post-tragedy underlines a systemic failure that has left the community grappling with grief and uncertainty about their future.