The Executive Director Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Hajat Sharifah Buzeki, has challenged locals in areas of Masanafu zone to manage their wastes responsibly by collecting both degradable and non-degradable wastes in containers or polythene bags. 

She made the appeal during her weekly Weyonje (clean-up) campaign conducted in Masanafu parish, Lubaga Division.

Hajat Buzeki, who led Masanafu Locals in a weekly clean-up exercise for close to five hours, said she was impressed with the turn up of community members who joined her in cleaning their homesteads and frontiers. 

Hajat Buzeki, who was also warmly welcomed by Masanafu Locals, expressed gratitude to partners like Diamond Trust Bank, Nabugabo Up-Deal Joint Venture Ltd, Act Together , community SACCOS plus other stakeholders who have joined the Authority in championing waste management in Kampala City in order to attain the agenda of a livable and smart City.

Hajat Buzeki said though the clean-up exercise was conducted successfully, she has discovered that littering of polythene bags is still a huge problem in Masanafu parish, Lubaga Division. 

On this note, she tasked all community members to keep their wastes in a safe container or bin till KCCA garbage trucks collect it from them .

Hajat Buzeki noted that though the community participated actively in the clean up exercise, members should continue with the same spirit even in the absence of her KCCA staff.

” Whatever we are doing should serve as an example to the rest of the Communities in the five divisions that form Kampala Capital City. We have 815 villages or cells in the city and I assure you, we shall reached out to all of them, ” Determined Buzeki pledged to lead the clean-up exercise.

Hajat Buzeki further appreciated the media for popularizing the  message on responsible waste management.

” When you push this message, we will have a clean environment, health community, and a clean City and consequently we will get rid of floods to a certain extent . This is because most of the non-degradable wastes end up blocking our drainage channels,and then we experience floods . Therefore, I call upon all responsible persons in Kampala to ensure they manage their wastes by putting it in safe containers till out waste collection team picks it from them, ” Said Hajat Buzeki.

Hajat Buzeki emphasized the importance of a clean City and a healthy population arguing that a healthy productive population is the one which can develop Kampala Capital City.

On the issue of Ebola outbreak in the country, Hajat Buzeki challenged locals to maintain cleanliness at their workspaces, and residences than before so as to protect themselves from any potential disease outbreak like Ebola.

“I implore you to avoid contacts with people and wash your hands regularly with soap and water. When you experience symptoms of fever, headache, and red eyes, immediately visit a nearby health facility, ” Hajat Buzeki warned locals against Ebola outbreak.

She said KCCA health facilities are ready to handle any suspected case of Ebola disease, but however, encouraged the public to avoid body contacts and to wash their hands regularly.

Samuel Matekha Shikhongola, the Head of marketing and communication at Diamond Trust Bank, said his bank decided to partner with  KCCA in the Weyonje sanitation exercise because health is very important when it comes to ones ability to invest and also do banking.

Micheal Ayebazibwe, who heads Act Together -a local organization that supports people living in slum communities, said his organization has joined KCCA in the clean- up campaign so as to ensure Locals are safe and productive . 

On the other hand , Jamil Kisubi, who represented Nabugabo Up-Deal Deal Joint Venture – a company that collects garbage in Kampala City, said one of the challenges they face in garbage collection is that most people don’t want to pay garbage collection fee and end up littering garbage anywhere.