Entebbe Locals Protest Ongoing Garbage Dumping at Nkumba Site Near Lake Victoria

Residents of Entebbe are up in arms over the Nkumba dumpsite in Katabi Town Council, Wakiso District, where garbage piles emit a foul stench that permeates nearby homes. The site began receiving waste from Kampala following the Kiteezi Landfill collapse, intended as a short-term measure, but trucks continue arriving nightly, disrupting sleep with noise and smells.

Local Jamal Besweri describes how fresh air has been replaced by putrid odors from rotting waste and burnt plastic, worsened by flies and heat. Trucks dump loads between 9pm and 4am, initially from Nabugabo and Entebbe Municipality, but now far more since the Kiteezi crisis. Affected areas include Bukolwa Central, Kavundira, and Apollo Zone.

Rain intensifies the problem, spreading contaminated leachate toward Lake Victoria, prompting households to abandon local water sources for piped supply or rainwater. Property values have plummeted, forcing some sales at a loss, while theft has surged due to scrap dealers and workers scavenging the site.

Though some earn from sorting waste, costs for pesticides and air fresheners—up to Shs18,000 each—are mounting, with health fears from chemicals. Resident Judith Zimbe Nabikindu notes flies invading homes and hygiene struggles.

Local leader Vincent Nsubuga acknowledges complaints and mentions a company interested in a briquette and manure facility, with community consultations planned. Yet, residents doubt solutions, accusing NEMA of inaction despite visits and questioning nighttime dumps as suspicious.

Calls grow for government and municipal enforcement of waste plans to safeguard the environment and Lake Victoria.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)