It’s a new month, and as expected the new month comes along with new rules and regulations. Last week as we discussed the role transportation plays in our environment, our beloved Ugandan government made a direct communication about the mandatory purchase of dustbins by motorists that is to be placed in their vehicle as littering has become a major problem in Uganda. The proposal for this law was introduced by NEMA in steps to prevent or reduce environmental degradation. This a step in the best direction as it is expected that as long as you can afford a motor vehicle, surely your pockets can extend further and purchase a dustbin. The penalty for not having a dustbin like the environmental degradation that plagues our soil is also out of this world. National Environment Management Authority has proposed a penalty of about 11 million Uganda shillings that will be paid in a specified number of days.
KCCA has worked tirelessly to improve the collection rate for solid waste, which has increased from 35% in 2016 to 59% in 2023, through collaborations with the private sector. However, with these promising statistics, about 40% of our solid waste is uncollected and that is in Kampala alone. As shared before, though 40% is simply a number, it has a huge impact on the role our cities play in our surroundings. With 99 parishes within the city, KCCA’s strategic plan wishes that each parish has its own garbage collecting truck. It would surely help reduce what needs cleaning if every car that graced the Kampala streets had its dumping section within their vehicle.
Now while these are great steps in the right direction especially to fulfill the sustainable development goal 11 in establishing sustainable cities and human settlements inclusive, safe and resilient. It begs to question if this is the most enforceable law at the moment. In a culture that has not understood the dangers of littering, would a law passed without sensitization to the community and public be sustainable? We think not. The Uganda law society also thought so and protested the motion of the law, calling for a slight reworking. Like anything to achieve it efficiently, we much admit it will not be a sprint but a climb.
“Don’t be a fool, littering isn’t cool.”
-Go Green