Residents Near Jinja Manned Landfill Raise Alarm Over Garbage Spillovers
Zam Nalwadda, a resident, recounts how garbage heaps destroyed her belongings during recent rains. “While sleeping, I woke up to the threat of garbage flooding into my sitting room. The heaps broke down the front door and inundated my house,” Nalwadda said.
Residents living close to Jinja city’s manned landfill have raised serious concerns about persistent garbage spillovers into their homes, with no visible intervention from authorities to stop the problem. They say the situation worsens during periods of heavy rainfall, as excessive runoff water carries the garbage uncontrollably into their houses.
Residents fear they are at risk of contracting hygiene-related illnesses due to the unchecked flow of waste into their living spaces. They are now demanding urgent action from the Jinja City Council, warning that continued garbage accumulation threatens to cause structural damage and possible collapse of their homes. Zam Nalwadda, a resident, recounts how garbage heaps destroyed her belongings during recent rains. “While sleeping, I woke up to the threat of garbage flooding into my sitting room. The heaps broke down the front door and inundated my house,” Nalwadda said.
She says the incident left her distressed after losing items worth two million shillings, which she has yet to replace. Esther Namusisi says the problem worsens during heavy rains when garbage blocks access by piling up on her veranda. Namusisi also shared how she built a concrete wall fence as a buffer between her house and the landfill, only for it to be destroyed by the recent rains.
Andrew Mulowozo, who lives less than five meters from the landfill, says he relocates his family during rainy seasons to protect them from garbage spillovers. Mulowozo fears that if the problem persists, it could lead to a tragedy similar to the Kitezi incident, which left many dead and others homeless.
He calls on Jinja city authorities to construct strong barriers to prevent garbage overflow into nearby communities. “This will not only protect properties but also help prevent hygiene-related illnesses,” Mulowozo said. In response, Jinja City Clerk Edward Lwanga acknowledged that some people have encroached on the dumping site land and that authorities are issuing eviction notices to ensure safety.
He added that others near the dump site were lawfully allocated land by previous councils, and officials are working on sustainable buffer solutions to prevent future garbage spills.
