Community service, the impeccable answer to disentangle the garbage problem in developing towns

Town Council authorities have ever tasked residents to ensure proper garbage collection and disposal claiming that the town councils no longer have money to collect garbage in the towns hence establishing the garbage management problem.

Various townships in Uganda are currently choking on garbage and each one of the concerned parties has remained comfortable as garbage become part of our communities.

The International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, by Naeem Ejaz and Nasir Sadiq Janjua indicated that open dumping and irregular collections of solid waste are creating serious environmental and development threats in small towns of developing world.

When asked, Dr Mutebi, the district heath officer of Kalungu said that away from shuffling development, garbage mismanagement is the leading disease causing healthy problems in developing to towns like Kalungu.

“Poor disposal and handling of waste because it is not only a development issue but also leads to great risks to underprivileged public health,” Dr Mutebi said.

The problem is eating up big towns including the highly respected ones which are currently pushing for city statuses!

The garbage management problem is challenging all developing towns and the capital city (Kampala) is also much affected giving a bad impression and most disapprovingly affecting development of urban areas.

Though not technically a well-thought-out prerequisite, numerous communities and tribes had community service as an official requirement for social concern and part of their cultures.

Community service is a non-paying activity that is done by someone or a group of people for the subsidy of the general public.

Lwengo district chairperson, George Mutabaazi has always said that involving in local or neighbourhood groups or associations to do volunteer or unpaid work solved ‘such’ issue in the past.

“Our ancestors never choked on garbage could come together one day and solve such a public corn problem but these days all the public duties are left to the republic,” Mr Mutabaazi said.

Mutabaazi insists that Civilians have a unique desire and ability to organize themselves to address the needs in their communities without involving the government.

Experts say that in order for an effort to have the desired positive effect on society, it is indispensable that clear analyzing and purposeful strategising are done.

As a public call, root causes of the garbage problems must therefore be identified and kept in mind as the fight continues.

When the Masaka diocesan bishop, John Baptist Kaggwa said that he could mobilise locals to work on the potholed road and also clean up the town of Nyendo, a Masaka suburb,  leaders paniced and upgraded the road. 

This could be a wrong way; they should have left the bishop to work with the public in community service so that the culture is reborn.