The local leadership of Kimwanyi and Busia zones in Katanga slums near Wandegeya have revealed that their areas are hit by Poop crisis due to lack of both public and private toilets.
Thomas Bagonza the Busia zone chairperson told Kawempe Division deputy Resident City Commissioner Lukka Kagenyi that people in both zones are practicing open defecation while others are using buckets and polyethene bags which they throw into public spaces because they don’t have toilets.
“The population is high, previous we were suffering with sewage which was floating on the drainages but currently poop is the reason why the area is smelling and flies surrounding us here,” Bagonza said.
He added that both zones have more than five hundred people working and sleeping in the area and they don’t have a public toilet because the few with private toilets keep them locked.
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Hassan Ssegawa the Kimwanyi zone chairperson said this crisis has placed the entire population under threat of contracting dangerous diseases and pandemics like cholera. He thus pleaded for government intervention.
“Through our representatives both at Kawempe Division and City Hall, we have been engaging Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for help to at least construct two public toilets to solve the problem. We also invite private investors to invest their money in public toilets, our people will pay for the service so that they recover their money, otherwise we are going to die,” Ssegawa said.
He added that some people were using Mulago hospital toilets, those at Pastor Samuel Kakande’s church and petrol stations but they are no longer allowed which has forced them to look for alternative ways.
Bagonza and Ssegawa further revealed that the areas were still battling the problem of insecurity but the situation was controlled by the bylaws both zones passed.
Lukka promised that the concerns of the public and their leaders will be presented to KCCA leadership and something will be done to solve the situation to avoid a pandemic or any dangerous diseases outbreak.
He encouraged residents of Katanga to encourage community service and participate in cleaning their areas and make sure that human wastes are not deposited in gazetted public spaces as the situation is being handled.
