Zombo, Uganda: Residents of Maliri Village in Paidha Town Council have raised urgent concerns over what they describe as escalating environmental degradation and serious public health threats stemming from a poorly managed municipal dumping site.
The concerns were formally tabled during a stakeholder engagement meeting held Monday at the facility, where community members, local leaders, and district officials inspected the site.
Residents say the council-owned dumpsite has become a source of widespread pollution, citing improper waste containment, persistent foul stench, proliferation of flies, and contamination of nearby water sources.
LC I Chairperson Gilbert Ocamringa reported that broken glass bottles and other debris frequently spill onto adjacent roads, posing risks to pedestrians, motorists and livestock. He added that decomposing waste emits strong odours that penetrate homes located just metres away.
“Disease-carrying flies have increased around our homes, raising fears of vector-borne illnesses and respiratory complications,” Ocamringa said.
He also criticized the absence of an Environmental Impact Assessment prior to the establishment of the site, recalling incidents where children and adults scavenged discarded cartons of expired liquor, exposing themselves to potential poisoning.
LC II representative John Onegiu noted that unrestricted access to the site allows children to forage through waste and carry hazardous materials back home.
Community member Phinehas Yik warned that seasonal runoff during heavy rains washes leachate and pollutants into the nearby Maliri River, threatening downstream ecosystems and drinking water sources for Maliri and Otheku villages.
Another resident, Ilford Ongeyuwun, recounted the disturbing discovery of a decomposing infant’s body at the site, which intensified the already unbearable odour affecting surrounding households. He also noted that lightweight plastics such as polythene bags are often blown onto nearby farmlands, while waste heaps—sometimes mixed with human excreta—have encroached onto private land.
Fiona Anirwoth, a local mother, reported persistent fly infestations that disrupt food preparation and contribute to recurring illnesses among children.
Leaders Demand Action
Zombo District Speaker Hassan Ringtho described the situation as a consequence of weak solid waste management and lack of routine environmental inspections.
Town Clerk Esmond Odota acknowledged the gravity of the complaints and admitted that limited funding this financial year had hindered mitigation measures such as soil covering of waste using bulldozers to reduce odour and litter dispersion.
He pledged to study waste management models from other urban centres and explore sustainable solutions.
LC III Chairperson Innocent Godfrey Onega commended residents for speaking out, warning that continued neglect could trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery.
Referencing the August 2024 Kiteezi landfill disaster in Kampala, which claimed over 35 lives, displaced hundreds and exposed the dangers of overcapacity and poorly regulated dumpsites, Onega urged proper waste segregation to facilitate composting and safer disposal amid growing urbanization.
Zombo District Environment Officer Martin Owor emphasized that the dumpsite’s current operations violate citizens’ constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment under Article 39 of Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, as reinforced by the National Environment Act.
District Resident Commissioner Festus Ayikobua condemned reckless dumping practices at the site’s boundaries and called for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations, enhanced community sensitization on waste reduction, reuse and recycling, and urgent temporary containment measures.
Residents have proposed expanding and fencing the dumpsite to contain growing waste volumes driven by urban expansion. They are also advocating for the establishment of a properly engineered sanitary landfill to ensure long-term environmental safety.
As Zombo continues to urbanize, leaders warn that failure to act swiftly could transform the Maliri dumpsite from a municipal inconvenience into a full-blown public health crisis.
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