KCCA, residents join hands to clean Kasanvu following closure of illegal dumpsite

By Our Reporter

The streets of Kasanvu Zone in Makindye Division were filled with renewed hope and community spirit on Saturday as residents joined officials from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in a major clean-up exercise following the closure of a long-standing illegal dumpsite.

The exercise, conducted under KCCA’s Weyonje campaign, signaled a fresh commitment to promoting community-led sanitation and encouraging residents to take ownership of keeping their neighborhoods clean, healthy, and safe.

Speaking during the clean-up, KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki said the authority’s mission goes beyond collecting garbage, emphasizing the importance of empowering communities to sustain cleanliness long after KCCA officials have left.

“We decommissioned this illegal dumpsite last Saturday. Today we are here cleaning together and sensitising the community so that when we are not here, residents can continue maintaining a clean environment on their own,” Buzeki said.

She stressed that maintaining a clean environment begins at household level and called upon residents to take pride in their surroundings.

“We cannot enter your homes to clean for you. The way your front looks tells a story about your household. Let’s take pride in our surroundings and protect our health together,” she added.

Accompanied by Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi, Buzeki warned that poor sanitation remains one of the leading causes of disease outbreaks, affecting productivity, family welfare, and community development.

“A healthy community is one that can work, support families and grow together,” she said. “When we keep our environment clean, we are protecting our future.”

Residents welcomed the closure of the illegal dumpsite, describing it as a major relief after years of enduring unpleasant odors, flies, and improper waste disposal practices that posed health risks to the community.

“We can finally breathe better. That place was a constant problem,” one resident remarked while participating in the clean-up exercise.

The clean-up also provided an opportunity for local leaders to advocate for long-term sanitation solutions. They appealed to KCCA to support the construction of a public toilet to serve the area’s growing population and urged the authority to engage the Uganda Railways Corporation regarding access to land for the proposed facility.

Leaders further expressed concern over structures constructed on drainage channels and sewer lines, noting that such developments continue to contribute to flooding during heavy rains.

The Kasanvu clean-up exercise forms part of KCCA’s broader Weyonje campaign, which seeks to promote environmental responsibility, improve public health, and foster community participation in maintaining a cleaner and more livable Kampala.

As residents swept streets, cleared waste, and shared messages on sanitation, the exercise demonstrated the power of collective action in transforming communities and creating a healthier urban environment for all.