Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has secured clearance from the Solicitor General to begin the decommissioning and repurposing of the Kiteezi landfill in Wakiso District, months after its collapse in 2024.
The process, officials said, will include cutting and stabilising steep waste slopes, managing pollution, and sealing off the landfill’s surface to prevent further hazards.
Appearing before the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Tuesday, KCCA’s Deputy Executive Director, Benon Kigenyi, revealed that all regulatory requirements had been met for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to commence works at the site.
Kigenyi noted that UN-Habitat, which brings years of global experience in landfill management, is expected to start operations in October 2025. He praised the agency for its advanced technology and pledged support, including humanitarian assistance worth US$1 million.
“The contract for UN-Habitat has been cleared. They are coming in with technology that has worked elsewhere, backed by experience in managing landfills in other countries. They also have the capacity to mobilise the required equipment with ease,” Kigenyi told lawmakers.
The contractor’s responsibilities, he added, will also cover draining and treating leachate—a hazardous liquid produced by the landfill—which MPs flagged as a health risk to nearby residents and a threat to the environment.
The Auditor General’s 2023/2024 report had earlier warned about deep cracks at the landfill, raising fears of another collapse. The report also criticised the compensation process, citing payouts of only Shs 2 million per household as inadequate for relocation in an urban setting. Some residents who had initially vacated the area have since returned, while others remain in close proximity to the site.
COSASE chairperson and Busiro East MP, Medard Sseggona, faulted the delays in handling compensation, accusing the Chief Government Valuer of neglecting urgent matters.
“There was laxity occasioned by a chief government valuer who did not treat this matter seriously. These are urgent issues, but the report shows the efforts of KCCA were thwarted by the government valuer,” Sseggona said.
