Civil society participation in urban sanitation and solid waste management in Uganda

The inability of local governments to provide basic environmental services in African urban centres often results in the involvement of other actors in urban sanitation and solid waste provisioning, such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs) and private companies. Although NGOs and CBOs are becoming increasingly engaged in urban service provisioning, little systematic knowledge exists on the kind of activities they take up and the results of these activities. This paper reviews the role of NGOs and CBOs in sanitation and solid waste management in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Against the background of a modernised mixtures perspective and the partnership paradigm, an assessment is made of NGOs and CBOs in provisioning these environmental services. Data were gathered through a survey, face-to-face interviews, and the use of scientific literature, official reports and informal documents. Over 40 NGOs and CBOs were found to be actively involved – often in partnership – in the implementation and development of sanitation and solid waste activities. Their results are, however, seriously hampered by financial, policy and political challenges in implementing successful sanitation and solid waste collection projects.