Residents in Kabale fear potential collapse of Kirengyere garbage collection center

Residents of Karubanda Village in Kyanamira Parish, Kyanamira Sub-county, Kabale District, are growing increasingly anxious over the potential collapse of the Kirengyere garbage collection center. This fear follows a recent tragedy in Kiteezi, Wakiso District, where a landfill collapse claimed several lives.

Ms Jane Karukwanzi, 63, a resident of Karubanda, voiced her concern about the looming danger. “The garbage has piled up, and after what happened in Wakiso, we are terrified. The stench is unbearable, and our leaders seem indifferent,” Ms. Karukwanzi told Monitor on Friday.

She described the hazardous conditions residents are facing, with untreated garbage, unclaimed dead bodies frequently buried in the area, and swarms of houseflies, which pose a significant health risk.

“Houseflies swarm our utensils as soon as we wash them. People no longer buy food locally because of the foul smell and the risk of contamination from exhumed bodies disturbed by stray dogs,” Ms Karukwanzi lamented. She urged Kabale District authorities to relocate the waste before it triggers a disaster.

Another resident, Mrs Peace Kagurusi, echoed similar concerns. She warned that a collapse of the garbage heap could result in loss of life and block the vital Kabale-Mbarara road for months.

“We are living in fear. If the garbage collapses, it will destroy homes, take lives, and cut off the road. The collection site is right along the main road. What happened in Kiteezi could happen here, and it’s only a matter of time,” Mrs Kagurusi said. “Our leaders, including Kabale Municipality Mayor Emmanuel Sentaro Byamugisha and area MP Wilfred Nuwagaba, need to act before it’s too late.”

However, Kabale Municipality Health Inspector, Mr Andrew Biija, attributed the problem to residents’ illegal encroachment on the designated site.

“Kabale Municipality never approved any settlement near the garbage collection center or cemetery,” Mr Biija said. He explained that the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) had approved the area for waste disposal before people began to settle nearby.

“When the site was established, it was far from any residential areas. But over time, people began building around it without proper authorization,” Mr. Biija noted.

He added that the municipality is now planning to relocate the garbage center to a larger site farther from Kabale town. “We’re also concerned about the capacity of this site. It won’t serve us for more than two or three more years. We’re looking to acquire a larger piece of land to prevent a disaster like the one in Kiteezi,” Mr Biija said.

The Kirengyere garbage collection center has been operational for nearly 12 years, accepting waste from Kabale town’s three divisions. Local authorities have warned that the site is reaching its limit and that immediate action is needed to prevent a collapse similar to Kiteezi.