Political leaders in Kampala, led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, have warned of another catastrophe at the Kitezi landfill if no funds are released to carry out remedial measures.

Addressing the media at City Hall on August 16, 2024, Lukwago revealed that experts have warned of visible cracks in the remaining garbage heap, raising concerns that heavy rains could trigger a landslide and result in further loss of life.

This follows the accident on August 10, when a landslide at the landfill claimed the lives of at least 34 individuals, with another 29 still unaccounted for.

Lukwago called for immediate action as the cabinet prepares to discuss the matter on Monday, August 19, 2024.

“We require funds from the contingency budget or any emergency allocation to stabilize and flatten the remaining garbage mountains at Kitezi to prevent another catastrophe,” he stated.

Lukwago also asked the government to adequately compensate the victims of the garbage slide, including support for those who lost property and suffered injuries.

He also highlighted that the cabinet should urgently release funds to develop alternative dumping sites, such as Katabi near Lake Victoria, which has been identified as a temporary solution for waste disposal, in order to prevent garbage and effluent from contaminating the lake.

The Kiteezi landfill, Kampala’s primary waste disposal site since 1997, has faced criticism for its deteriorating condition, with the recent waste-slides prompting the government to decommission the site.

The Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, Lillian Aber, said that alternative disposal sites are being sought to mitigate the waste crisis in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.