Opinion: Kiteezi Landfill, Uganda’s Decay Will Kill Us All One Day

Kiteezi, a once inconspicuous landfill site, has now become a powerful metaphor for what is happening across Uganda—a country buried under the weight of systemic decay. This is not just about physical waste piling up; it’s a representation of how societal, political, and moral garbage has infiltrated every level of governance, public life, and the economy. When we begin to passionately defend thieves, incompetence, and nepotism, we are watching our nation sink under an avalanche of filth—filth we allow and even contribute to.

The image of Uganda’s Parliament engaging in shameless deals with a sense of impunity represents not only a collapse in ethical governance but also our collective plunge into chaos. Corruption has woven itself into the very fabric of leadership, and instead of eradicating it, we normalize it. We are led by individuals who, in many cases, occupy their roles not because of their competence but because of their bloodlines, tribes, or political connections. This pattern of favoring hereditary leadership over merit buries the hopes and dreams of a nation striving for fairness and democracy.

When those who dare to speak out against these evils—whether journalists, activists, or opposition members—become targets of the state, the very soul of the nation is asphyxiated. The judiciary, ideally a pillar of justice, has become little more than an extension of the executive and legislative branches, wielded to maintain the status quo rather than uphold justice. It’s as if Uganda’s judiciary has itself been buried under a pile of legal wigs and case files, lost in corruption and manipulation.

Our infrastructure, too, is symbolic of this garbage slide. In 2023, we are witnessing the launch of a shabby train service between Kampala and Namanve. This is not progress; it’s a parade of mediocrity. It serves as a visual representation of the mass movement of a nation comfortable with ‘just enough.’ Just enough to get by, just enough to appease the masses, just enough to give the illusion of advancement—while the underlying rot remains intact.

Then there’s the hypocrisy of our leadership. These same leaders who decry foreign influence and the so-called ‘imperialists’ happily jet off to these very countries for medical treatment and education for their children, leaving Uganda’s own hospitals and schools in disrepair. This abandonment is another layer of garbage. How can a leader preach national pride while turning their back on the very institutions that serve their people?

Theft and crookedness have become Uganda’s fastest-growing industries. It is easier to prosper as a crook than to work with integrity. The thieves laugh openly in the faces of the people, while those who fight corruption find themselves behind bars, their reputations destroyed by the very state they sought to protect.

When integrity becomes a liability in Uganda, it is a clear sign that garbage is at the helm. When anti-corruption efforts are seen as ‘foreign concepts,’ garbage has been piled onto the country’s soul. We no longer recognize ourselves. We have allowed garbage to cover the basic principles that should guide us.

But what about the young people? Thousands of them leave Uganda every year, venturing to desert countries in search of livelihoods. They are escaping not just poverty, but the overwhelming rubbish that covers every opportunity in their homeland. Meanwhile, religious leaders, who should serve as the moral compass, have become greedy accomplices in breaking the country further. They preach peace while condoning theft, corruption, and state brutality.

Kiteezi is not just a physical landfill; it is the embodiment of the garbage crisis that has overtaken Uganda. This national slide into decay will not be solved by a few, nor can it be ignored. Every Ugandan is now faced with a choice: Are you a garbage spreader, or a garbage manager? Are you adding to the rot, or are you part of the solution?

The army may have arrived at Kiteezi with guns, but the real excavators needed are within us. We must dig deep, not just at the landfill, but in the very systems that have led to this crisis. It will take a collective effort to restore this country from the brink of suffocation. The garbage is burying us, but it is not too late to dig our way out.

The question remains: What are you doing about the national garbage crisis?