Management structure as a factor of performance of Solid Waste Management projects in African municipalities: A case of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, western Uganda

Abstract

Solid waste production is growing exponentially, with stronger trends in developing countries. Uganda is facing rapid urbanization that offers not only new social and economic opportunities, but also more pronounced challenges, including waste management which is not coping with the population growth. Despite the financial support given towards solid waste management (SWM), there appears to be no apparent change. With a population growth of 4.8% per annum, the Bushenyi municipal waste problem is expected to worsen in future if its management is not taken seriously. This study was aimed at understanding how management structure has influenced the performance of a SWM project in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality. A mixed-method approach involving both quantitative and qualitative methods was employed in the study. The quantitative approach focused on counting and classifying features to explain what was observed, while the qualitative method, majorly Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), was used to provide a complete and detailed description of the existing situation in three Divisions of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality. The study showed that the project management structure does not provide adequate and equitable representation for each of the participating stakeholders at different levels of the project for the day-to-day activities and supervisory roles. It is evident that low resource input is partly contributing to the 27% performance of the Solid Waste Management project. SWM should be implemented with a dedicated management structure with adequate and well-skilled personnel for supervision and monitoring. In addition, the budget for municipal solid waste management should be increased to enable the municipal authority to fund the projects effectively.

Keywords: Human Resource, Management, Municipality, Performance, Solid waste, Uganda