The dispute between the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Entebbe officials has escalated, with Entebbe leaders blocking KCCA garbage trucks and dismissing a recent agreement with Katabi Town Council as invalid.
On Monday, KCCA and Katabi Town Council had reached an accord allowing garbage to be dumped at the Nkumba site within Katabi Town Council. However, Entebbe Mayor Fabrice Rulinda and other municipal authorities have contested this decision, citing concerns about land ownership and KCCA’s management of the situation.
“This land is under our jurisdiction, and any agreement involving KCCA must be made with our approval,” Rulinda declared. He further stated that the site, which already struggles to handle its current waste load, cannot accommodate additional refuse from Kampala. “The 14-acre site along Lake Victoria is inadequate for handling more waste. We need a sustainable solution before accepting any additional garbage.”
KCCA has been directed to either negotiate a satisfactory arrangement with the Entebbe Municipal Council or identify an alternative site for waste disposal. In the meantime, local residents are enduring the consequences of the unresolved conflict between the authorities.
Previous resolutions had instructed KCCA to utilize Kasenyi Road for waste transport instead of Nkumba Main Road for safety reasons and mandated the Lord Mayor to provide extra tractors for waste management at Nkumba. Additionally, water bowers were to be placed along Kasenyi Road to mitigate dust.
The proximity of the Nkumba site to Lake Victoria has raised environmental and health concerns among residents, further complicating the waste management crisis.