KISORO UGANDA— Forward Cleaners, a private service provider responsible for solid waste collection in Kisoro Municipality, is slowly but surely winning the hearts and gaining the confidence of garbage generators after demonstrating its ability to collect and manage waste effectively and efficiently.
If you have lived, worked, or studied in Kisoro Municipality over the past six months, you can easily attest to the visible decline in sanitation and hygiene across all three divisions of the municipality: Central, Northern, and Southern.
Illegal dumping of biodegradable waste, including food and market leftovers, had become common along major roads and streets. Used diapers and other discarded materials were often abandoned in people’s gardens and ungazetted plots of land, while the putrid smell of garbage hardened residents’ attitudes and increased apathy towards development initiatives.
What was once a promising tourism town in 2007, and which was even ranked the seventh-cleanest town in the country, was quickly becoming an unpleasant and seemingly hopeless place to visit, work, or live.
Something Had To Change.
The Municipal Health Department had traditionally arranged for garbage collection five days a week, at no cost to waste generators, following a designated route chart.
However, it was common for some generators to pay individuals operating outside the official system to dispose of their garbage. Much of this waste would eventually find its way into drainage channels, building corridors, and undeveloped plots, further contributing to the town’s deteriorating appearance.
Despite the efforts of the authorities, the battle against poor waste management and its associated challenges remained difficult.
Public outcry from communities, however, helped secure two major milestones in the history of solid waste management in Kisoro Municipality.
First, on 19 April 2026, during a council sitting, local leaders adopted and approved the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) Policy, requiring individual waste generators to take responsibility for the management of the waste they produce. The policy is aligned with the broader national approach to waste management.
In June 2026, municipal authorities entered into a partnership with Forward Investments, leading to the creation of a subsidiary responsible for solid waste collection known as Forward Cleaners.
Operating under the slogan “Generations to Come,” Forward Cleaners began operations on 1 July 2026, offering solid waste collection services to businesses, households, schools, markets, and recreational facilities.
The company operates a 17-ton-capacity truck, popularly known as the “Big Yellow Truck,” and employs a 12-member team serving in various capacities, including administration, finance, and waste loading. Gender sensitivity and mental wellness are also incorporated into the company’s day-to-day operations.
Why Must Waste Generators Pay?
Under the Polluter Pays Principle, residents and commercial entities are required to contribute towards approved waste collection and management services rather than relying entirely on free public disposal.
The policy framework for waste management in Uganda is supported by various laws and institutions, including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Physical Planning Act, the Public Health Act, and the Constitution of Uganda.
Kisoro Municipal authorities have therefore encouraged residents to comply with the Polluter Pays Principle as part of efforts to maintain a clean and healthy urban environment.
Forward Investments, through its subsidiary Forward Cleaners, says it is the designated solid waste collection service provider in Kisoro Municipality and is responsible for the collection and transportation of garbage within the municipality.
Forward Cleaners continues to appreciate members of the community who have embraced the Polluter Pays Principle and encourages those who have not yet made the required payments to cooperate with the current waste-management arrangement.
For information regarding the route chart, working hours, payments, and other inquiries, residents can contact:
Operations Manager
Nabaasa Rebecca
0793-935806
Field Officer
Gahima Alex
0772-007717
The writer is a Field Officer at Forward Cleaners Company Ltd.
