KAMPALA: Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has set aside Shs50 million to combat the growing bedbug infestation in the city, following mounting complaints from residents who say the pests have become a major public health and sanitation concern.
The funding was announced by KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki during the authority’s weekly Weyonje community clean-up exercise in Kawempe One Parish, where residents also raised concerns over poor waste management, inadequate drainage and increasing cockroach infestations.
The clean-up exercise attracted officials from KCCA, the Uganda Police Force (UPF), the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and members of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).
Speaking during the exercise, Ms Buzeki said the authority had earmarked Shs50 million specifically to support bedbug eradication and urged local leaders to identify the worst-hit communities to enable targeted fumigation.
She said while fumigation would help contain the problem, residents also needed to maintain proper household hygiene and environmental sanitation to prevent recurring infestations.
Ms Buzeki warned against illegal waste dumping, saying offenders would face prosecution under existing laws, and urged traders previously removed from city streets to relocate to gazetted KCCA and privately owned markets.
Henry Mpiima, a representative of the Patriotic League of Uganda, said the organisation had mobilised young people to participate in Bulungi Bwansi community clean-up activities, which have expanded from villages to parish level.
He said volunteers had been fumigating homes but were increasingly overwhelmed by the growing number of households reporting bedbug and cockroach infestations, prompting an appeal for additional logistical and financial support from KCCA.
Kawempe Kirokole LC I chairperson and Kawempe Division Deputy Mayor Joseph Kibuga said many residents were reluctant to report bedbug infestations because of the stigma associated with the problem.
Mr Kibuga said demand for fumigation chemicals at his office indicated that the infestation was more widespread than publicly acknowledged. He attributed the problem to overcrowded housing, poor sanitation and inadequate ventilation.
He also appealed to KCCA to increase garbage collection capacity, saying Kawempe Division lacks enough trucks to manage the volume of waste generated daily.
Responding to the concerns, Ms Buzeki said KCCA currently operates only 34 garbage trucks to serve the entire city but noted that Parliament had approved funding in the current financial year for the procurement of five additional trucks.
On drainage, she said rehabilitation of major channels had been delayed by funding constraints but disclosed that President Yoweri Museveni had directed the Ministry of Finance in March to fund Kampala’s comprehensive drainage improvement programme.
Ms Buzeki said works would begin on major drainage systems, including the Lubigi and Nalukolongo channels, while routine maintenance of other drainage channels would continue as resources become available.
The Weyonje campaign is part of KCCA’s wider effort to improve environmental sanitation, strengthen waste management and reduce disease outbreaks associated with poor hygiene and inadequate waste disposal across the city.