Despite belonging to different political parties, the new leaders share common concerns about the poor garbage disposal and management in the area, and have promised to make it a priority in their leadership.
Moses Mulinde, the new Chairperson for the Kimanya-Kabonera division, in his inauguration speech, expressed disappointment with the chronic failure of the local government to effectively manage solid waste materials, leading to unwanted filthiness in the area.
He says that he intends to move his council to ensure general improvement of sanitation levels in the area through enacting and enforcing bylaws on proper garbage management.
“I am aware of the excuses of limited resources to undertake garbage collection by the division council, but part of our approach will include promoting urban farming such that people can convert decomposing waste into farm manure, as well as rolling out compulsory routine community cleaning campaigns,” he noted.
Ronald Kasekende, the Chairperson for Nyendo-Mukungwe division, observed that his council will focus on enforcing practices of garbage sorting, which will simplify the process of proper management by various stakeholders, including farmers and those who repurpose it into other products.
He suggests a bylaw that regulates public usage of non-decomposing materials such as plastics and polythene bags, to ensure that they are not littered in the community.
According to his proposal, the division will not give permission to any public and social gatherings unless the organizers present proper plans for cleaning the venues and management of all the non-decomposing waste materials.
Available records at the Masaka city council indicate that the town generates at least 100 tons of garbage per week, which is largely heaped at dumping sites where it is either burnt or left to decompose. Besides, Kasekende has also pledged to work closely with the Division Town Clerk to close all local revenue leakages, to enhance their collections, which will facilitate better service delivery.
He warns that his leadership will not tolerate the loitering of animals in the city, encroachments in road reserves and service lanes, hence urging residents to put things in order before the enforcement teams take action against them.
Mousa Wamala, the representative of opinion leaders on the Masaka City Development Forum, a platform of stakeholders who act as a link between the leadership and the community in the town, has challenged the leaders to live up to their promises for the general good of the urban council.
He observes that the city has failed to realize orderliness, partly because the leaders do not appropriately guide the public, because of their selfish pursuit of political interests.
