Kampala, Uganda – Uganda’s capital city management has introduced undercover officers to identify and report people who litter in public spaces, in the latest effort by city authorities to improve sanitation and restore public confidence in Kampala’s cleanliness.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) says the officers, known as “ambience ambassadors,“ will be deployed across the city to monitor public behaviour, identify littering hotspots and report offenders who dispose of waste illegally.
Speaking during activities linked to the National Cleaning Day campaign, KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki said the initiative forms part of a wider strategy to promote personal responsibility for keeping the city clean.
“The ambassadors will quietly observe public spaces and help ensure that people who litter are held accountable,” she said, adding that enforcement would go hand in hand with public education.
The move comes as Kampala struggles with persistent challenges in waste management, including indiscriminate dumping of rubbish, blocked drainage channels and plastic waste that often contributes to flooding during heavy rains.
The undercover deployment coincides with renewed momentum behind Uganda’s National Cleaning Day campaign, which has seen government agencies, local leaders, businesses and residents take part in organised clean-up exercises across the country.
According to Ms Buzeki, this campaign has also breathed new life into Weyonje, KCCA’s weekly community clean-up programme held every Saturday.
Launched to encourage residents, traders and institutions to take responsibility for their surroundings, Weyonje combines neighbourhood clean-up exercises with public awareness campaigns on proper waste disposal and environmental hygiene.
City officials say participation in the programme has increased in recent weeks as the national campaign has drawn greater public attention to sanitation.
Kampala is a home to more than four million people during the daytime, generates over 700 tonnes of solid waste every day. While the city has expanded waste collection services over the years, officials say littering and illegal dumping remain among the biggest obstacles to maintaining a clean urban environment.
Plastic bottles, food packaging and other discarded materials are commonly found along roadsides, in drainage channels and around busy markets, despite existing regulations that prohibit littering.
Officials argue that enforcement alone will not solve the problem and have repeatedly called for greater public cooperation.
“We want cleanliness to become a shared responsibility rather than something left only to government,” Ms Buzeki said.
The decision to use undercover officers marks a shift towards closer monitoring of public behaviour and could strengthen enforcement of Kampala’s environmental regulations.
Supporters say the approach may discourage habitual littering and encourage residents to dispose of waste responsibly.
Others, however, argue that long-term improvements will also depend on expanding public waste bins, improving waste collection services and ensuring reliable disposal facilities, particularly in densely populated neighbourhoods.
Environmental experts have consistently maintained that cleaner cities require a combination of effective enforcement, adequate infrastructure and sustained public education.
This clean-up campaign forms part of broader efforts by KCCA to improve sanitation, reduce pollution and enhance Kampala’s appearance as Uganda’s commercial and administrative capital.
In recent months, city authorities have intensified inspections of markets, drainage channels and public spaces while encouraging businesses and communities to maintain cleaner surroundings.
Officials say success will ultimately depend not only on enforcement but also on whether residents embrace cleaner habits in their daily lives.
As the undercover “ambience ambassadors” begin their work, city authorities hope the initiative will send a clear message that keeping Kampala clean is a responsibility shared by everyone.
