By KT Reporter
Leaders of urban local governments are mooting a policy that relieves them of the responsibility of garbage management, which has proved to be a heavy burden beyond their means.
The leaders who include Mayors of Cities and Municipalities and Chairpersons of Town councils are suggesting that the central government directly take up the responsibility of management of garbage collected in their areas.
In their deliberations at the central region Local Government Budget Consultative Meeting held in Masaka city, the leaders highlighted how urban councils are generally struggling with the problem of garbage, which they cannot locally address.
Eric Kinobe, the Mityana Municipality Deputy Town Clerk, bemoans that they are currently stuck with huge heaps of garbage that pose a serious risk to the communities.
He observes that urban local councils do not have the budget to cater for proper garbage management, and resort to open disposal, which is hazardous to public health and the environment.
Kinobe prefers that the central government, through the relevant departments and agencies, directly intervene by taking full responsibility for ensuring proper management of the garbage, through investing in improved recycling facilities.
Vincent Kinene, the Natural Resources Officer for Mubende Municipality, observes that the absence of a proper garbage management system is contributing to widespread environmental pollution in many urban local councils.
He observes that they have made efforts to sensitise communities about proper waste disposal practices, but they are usually frustrated by the absence of recycling facilities where the waste can be processed into other products.
Eriya Magumba, the Sembabule Chief Administrative Officer, suggests that the government at least set up regional waste recycling facilities to stop the habit of open burning of non-biodegradable waste material, which directly contributes to environmental pollution.
The proposal has come at when leaders of many cities and municipalities adopted the idea of privatising garbage collection, by awarding tenders to private firms that apparently charge the residents for the service.
Ali Tagore, the Assistant Commissioner for Budget Policy and Evaluation at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, says that the suggestion is going to be presented to the responsible authorities to inform high-level discussions.
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