Young Ugandans Risk Their Lives to Survive in Kampala’s Landfill

A Close Friend's Tragic Death in Kampala's Landfill Collapse

March 9, 2025, 12:20 

In the wake of the tragic landslide that occurred at the Kiteezi landfill in Kampala last August, Okuku Prince, a 22-year-old waste collector, recalls the heartbreaking moment when his close friend’s body was recovered. His friend, Sanya Kezia, was one of the 30 victims who lost their lives when the mountain of refuse collapsed.

“I believe some people are still buried beneath the trash,” Prince told the BBC, reflecting on the tragedy.

The victims, including those who perished in the collapse, were often scavengers trying to make a living by washing and selling items salvaged from the landfill—anything from fish nets and plastic bottles to discarded electronics.

The incident sparked a blame game between Kampala's city authorities and the central government for negligence, especially as some victims were still trapped beneath tons of debris without proper burial rites.

When the government finally sent heavy machinery to recover Kezia’s body, it was discovered with facial injuries. The scene was a horrifying one for Prince, who found his friend covered in decaying and foul-smelling refuse.

“We are not safe here. Unless they improve this landfill, or at least level it out, people will continue to be in danger,” said Prince, who had been studying law at Uganda Islamic University before being forced to leave due to financial difficulties. Now, he makes a living at the dump.

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Prince, like many young Ugandans, faces a high level of unemployment and, in desperation, has turned to hazardous work to survive. "I come to the landfill in the morning, collect plastic bags, wash them, and sell them," he explained. "I earn 10,000 Ugandan shillings [$2.70 or £2.10] a day."

The collapse of the landfill left Prince in even more financial distress, as the disaster directly impacted his livelihood. However, for his safety, he was forced to leave the area. Others also had their homes destroyed during the rescue operations.

While compensation funds have been distributed to the families of the deceased, nearly 200 people who lost their homes remain uncompensated. Local authorities have acknowledged this shortcoming in an interview with the BBC.

“We are waiting for an assessment and the distribution of the budget,” said Dr. Sarah Karen Zalwango, the new head of public health and environment at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

Critics argue that the collapse of the Kiteezi landfill was an entirely preventable disaster, exacerbated by fundamental issues that were ignored for years.

“You can't have four million people, throw all their mixed waste—organic and non-organic—into one site. No, that's not how it should be done. But that's how we've been doing it for over 20 years,” said Frank Muramuzi, a city planner in Kampala.

The Kiteezi landfill, established in 1996 with funding from the World Bank, was initially meant to serve as a large-scale waste disposal site for Kampala. But over time, the city’s population has grown, and the scale of waste generation has outstripped the landfill’s capacity.

Currently, residents and businesses in Kampala produce an average of 2,500 tons of waste daily, with half of it ending up in the city's various landfill sites, Kiteezi being the largest.

The problem, however, is that Kiteezi lacks the necessary infrastructure to sort, recycle, or properly dispose of the waste, making it a disaster waiting to happen.

“As each layer of waste accumulates, the layers beneath become weak, especially with the decomposition process of organic waste, which generates heat,” explained Muramuzi. “Without proper venting areas, methane and other gases remain trapped beneath, increasing the structural weakness of the heap.”

However, experts argue that this situation could easily be remedied with regular environmental, social, and economic monitoring and oversight from the government.

"If this was in place, the disaster at Kiteezi would have been avoided," Muramuzi added.

But if the solution is so simple, why hasn't it been implemented?

The answer lies in a mixture of power struggles and poor financial management.

The ultimate responsibility for ensuring a “clean and sustainable environment” in Kampala lies with the KCCA. However, Mayor Erias Lukwago, of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change party, argues that his office lacks the power to bring about the necessary changes.

“All the support we have received has been through development partners and donors such as Bill and Melinda Gates, GIZ, and WaterAid… but their capacity is very limited,” Lukwago said recently.

“If we had sufficient funding from the central government, we would be much further along by now.”

The central government has yet to comment on whether it plans to allocate funds to improve the largest landfill in Uganda’s capital.

James Bond Kunobere, the solid waste management officer for the city of Kampala, admits that the Kiteezi collapse last year was a wake-up call for what needs to be done.

Currently, Kampala’s authorities are preparing plans to divert waste and reduce the backlog of refuse piling up in the city.

However, they want the public to take on responsibility as well. At present, residents pay one of seven private waste management companies in Kampala to collect their trash, with the goal of sorting and recycling it.

“We haven’t changed the mentality of the residents regarding waste segregation,” Kunobere told the BBC.

“If you segregate, the waste goes to different areas. If you mix, it all ends up in one place—at the landfill.”

Experts agree that while such initiatives are crucial, they are not a solution to the larger structural issues at Kiteezi.