Kampala Capital City Authority Executive Director Sharifa Buzeki has called on residents of Kampala to take personal responsibility for proper waste disposal in order to improve sanitation across the city.
Buzeki made the remarks while officiating at the launch of National Sanitation Week at Kamwokya Market Grounds in Central Division. The week-long campaign is being held under the theme “Accelerating Safely Managed Sanitation for a Healthier Uganda.”
She emphasized that everyone generates waste and therefore has a duty to ensure it is disposed of safely. Buzeki challenged residents who claim they cannot afford the small fees charged for waste collection, stressing that maintaining basic hygiene should be a priority for all citizens.
The KCCA boss highlighted that improving sanitation requires collective responsibility from households, institutions, and communities.
She added that the authority is promoting citywide planning and investment to ensure equitable access to improved sanitation, as well as the proper management of fecal sludge and sewerage, with a target of achieving full coverage by 2030.
Buzeki revealed that fecal sludge collection in Kampala has improved from 54 percent in 2015 to 65 percent by December 2025. Despite this progress, she noted that approximately 85 percent of residents and workplaces in the city are still not connected to the national sewer network, forcing many households to rely on private septic tanks.
She called on the National Water and Sewerage Corporation to expand sewer coverage in Kampala to prevent fecal waste from ending up in drainage channels.
She also highlighted the city’s efforts to promote a circular economy through resource recovery, including turning treated waste into fertilizer for agricultural use.
Speaking at the event, Robin Nandy, the country representative of UNICEF, warned that poor sanitation and hygiene continue to put thousands of Ugandan children at risk of diseases such as diarrhea, which remains one of the leading causes of child mortality in the country.
He cited the World Health Organization and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme 2024 report, which shows that only 63 percent of Ugandans have access to basic water supply while access to basic sanitation stands at just 24 percent.
Silas Aogon, Member of Parliament for Kumi Municipality and chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on WASH, urged citizens to view sanitation as a personal responsibility, noting that every item consumed eventually turns into waste. He added that Parliament will continue pushing for stronger laws, increased budgets, and better accountability to improve sanitation services across the country.
The National Sanitation Week aims to raise awareness on hygiene, promote proper waste management, and encourage community participation in keeping cities clean and healthy. Through collective action and responsible waste disposal, organizers hope to make significant strides toward a cleaner, healthier Kampala.
