Paul Mugambe , the Nakawa Division Mayor has expressed concern about the escalated garbage problem in the area which has posed a health challenge to residents.

Speaking during a cleaning exercise at Bugoloobi market on Thursday, Mugambe said that of all the garbage generated in Nakawa, only half of it is collected.

We are grappling with the problem of garbage partly because of a logistical problem. We have enough garbage trucks but the problem is that we don’t have fuel for them. The division is grappling with diseases,  80 percent of which are a result of sanitation and hygiene related issues,”Mugambe said.

He however commended the Community Integrated Development Initiative (CIDI) and other partners for extending to them support which has enabled them to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation throughout the entire division.

“We are grateful with CIDI because it has worked with us for quite a long period of time. It has made a number of interventions which have impacted on the lives our people. It has brought hope and smiles on faces of our people through construction  structures like toilets on top of providing WASH facilities.”

He called for mechanisms to ensure garbage is turned into organic fertilizers that can be used locally in the agricultural sector other than importing inorganic fertilisers.

Evelyn Zalwango , the Project Coordinator National Youth Advocacy Platform (NYAP) noted that they decided to participate in general cleaning of the market to help promote hygiene.

“We are looking at Water Sanitation and Hygiene first because most of the diseases affecting most of our people in the area  are preventable illness. Being that prevention is better than cure , we want people to cut down the costs they incur whenever they get sick,” Zalwango said.

She noted that they have hosted visitors from Denmark who have learnt a lot from the cleaning exercise and there is hope that when they will share those impactful stories with people back home.

Jacob Nue , the head of Communications and Fundraising in Caritas gave a piece of advice on managing garbage collection.

“I think for proper garbage collection , there is a need to separate decomposing garbage  from plastics and others for proper management.”

The clean-up exercise covered various areas of Bugolobi market and attracted various key stakeholders.