Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has strengthened the city’s fight against poor sanitation with the launch of a new fleet of modern garbage and cesspool trucks, marking a major step toward cleaner and healthier communities. The commissioning ceremony was held on March 31, 2023, at Naguru Katali Primary School grounds in Nakawa Division.The newly unveiled fleet includes 10 state-of-the-art garbage compressor trucks designed to collect and compress waste efficiently, preventing spillage along city roads. In addition, KCCA introduced five cesspool emptier trucks and five tipper truck tractors intended for silt collection, significantly boosting the city’s capacity to manage both solid and liquid waste.Speaking at the event, KCCA Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka noted that the Authority has made steady progress in waste collection over the years, with coverage rising from 35 percent in 2016 to 59 percent in 2023. She attributed this improvement to strategic partnerships with the private sector and emphasized that the new trucks will further accelerate service delivery across the city.Kisaka explained that KCCA’s long-term plan is to ensure every parish has its own garbage collection truck. With the addition of the new equipment, the Authority’s fleet has grown from 12 to 22 trucks, enabling each city division to have multiple garbage compressors alongside skip loaders, cesspool emptiers and tipper trucks to better serve the 99 parishes of Kampala.Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago welcomed the new equipment but stressed the need for increased funding for city sanitation and hygiene. He reiterated calls for adequate budgetary support to match Kampala’s growing waste management demands, noting that the city generates about 2,500 tonnes of waste every day.Lukwago also referenced President Yoweri Museveni’s call for improved cleanliness in the capital, including the installation of dustbins at regular intervals. He said political leaders are committed to delivering on this vision but warned that sustained investment is essential to make it a reality.The launch comes as a timely boost to KCCA’s more than 4,000 frontline workers who are involved in street sweeping, drainage desilting and waste collection. The new trucks are expected to ease their workload while improving efficiency, safety and overall sanitation outcomes, particularly in flood-prone areas.Looking ahead, Kisaka revealed plans for a new waste recycling and disposal facility on 135 acres of land acquired in Dundu, Mukono. The site will host a recycling plant, a medical waste handling facility and modern landfill infrastructure aimed at reducing pressure on Kiteezi Landfill and supporting KCCA’s goal of achieving universal access to safe sanitation and hygiene in Kampala by 2030.
