Government spokesperson calls for removal of KCCA Leadership

Opondo specifically targeted Kampala City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka, holding them accountable for the tragedy. He argued that their failure to address the long-standing issues at the Kiteezi landfill directly contributed to the incident.

Criticizing Lukwago's public response, Opondo stated, “As usual, to win gullible public sympathy, Lukwago filed several media interviews and appeared on live television talk-shows shedding proverbial crocodile tears that did not take long to dry up.”

Read: KCCA evades responsibility in Kiteezi tragedy

Kiteezi landfill collapsed pulse uganda

He also pointed out Kisaka’s silence following the disaster, suggesting it indicated a lack of leadership and accountability.

According to Opondo, the Kiteezi landfill had been identified for decommissioning over a decade ago due to its hazardous conditions. Despite these warnings, he accused KCCA of standing by in "dereliction of duty," hoping that external factors would somehow mitigate the growing problems, such as overflowing garbage, traffic jams, and infestations of rodents and stray animals.

Excuses

Opondo dismissed claims that inadequate budget allocations were solely to blame for the Kiteezi incident and other problems plaguing Kampala. He argued that the real issues lay in “entrenched corruption, shallowness in leadership and lack of policy focus” within KCCA. He suggested that KCCA leaders could benefit from observing the management practices of smaller Ugandan cities, like Gulu, Arua, and Fort Portal, which have shown effective governance despite having limited resources.

Further criticizing KCCA's overall management, Opondo highlighted the lack of reliable data and effective planning. He compared the confusion surrounding the number of victims and damages from the Kiteezi incident to the mismanagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, when exaggerated figures led to unclear distribution of relief aid in Kampala.

Opondo concluded by emphasizing the broader issue of waste management in Kampala. He argued that KCCA's failure to implement proper garbage sorting and grading processes has further hindered its capacity to meet public needs. He warned that without a change in leadership and a more focused approach, the challenges facing Kampala would continue to worsen, affecting the daily lives of its residents.