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In his first press briefing on 24th October 2024, Rusa acknowledged the critical waste management challenges facing Kampala.
His remarks come amid heightened public concern following the tragic collapse at the Kiteezi landfill earlier this year, which claimed several lives and underscored the urgent need for sustainable waste solutions.
The Kiteezi landfill, which has served Kampala since 1996, has long exceeded its capacity, leading to environmental risks and safety concerns.
The collapse of a garbage heap in August 2024 resulted in widespread destruction and loss of life, with families displaced from their homes.
In response, KCCA has embarked on a plan to decommission the site, with the support of Zoom Lion (U) Ltd, a Ghanaian company with expertise in waste management.
Rusa outlined the authority’s immediate steps to mitigate further risk, including stabilising the landfill's slopes and ensuring continuous monitoring of environmental impacts. Alongside these efforts, KCCA is rolling out a city-wide waste sensitisation campaign, encouraging residents to adopt the "Three Rs" principle—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle—to reduce waste at the source.
KCCA has also introduced the Weyonje Sanitation Challenge, a community-led initiative aimed at improving hygiene practices across Kampala. This program encourages schools, businesses, and households to participate in proper waste management, with rewards for innovation in recycling and cleanliness.
While hygiene is Rusa’s primary focus, his broader agenda for the city includes resolving wage disputes for city cleaners, improving infrastructure such as roads and traffic systems, and promoting public space beautification. He emphasised the importance of collective responsibility, calling on all city residents to join hands with KCCA in creating a cleaner and more organised Kampala.