Juba City Council is spending over SSP 17 million daily on waste management, a significant financial commitment aimed at tackling the city’s long-standing sanitation challenges, according to Juma Moses Michael, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Sanitation.
Unregulated waste disposal continues to strain resources, requiring frequent cleanups across the capital as thousands of metric tons of waste are produced daily within the city.
Juma Moses Michael acknowledged the financial burden but stressed that continuous cleanup efforts are necessary to maintain progress.
“We don’t have a dedicated waste management budget, he explained. But we spend over SSP 17 million per day due to reckless dumping. Sometimes, residents throw garbage in areas that have just been cleaned, forcing us to collect waste multiple times, especially along Airport Road and other high-traffic streets,” said Moses.
Despite the challenges, residents have begun to notice positive changes in waste collection, with many praising the improvements in cleanliness, something they say they haven’t seen in years.
To address this, Juba City Council has rolled out various initiatives, including daily cleaning operations, weekly clean-up campaigns, and a house-to-house garbage collection system, all backed by awareness programs aimed at educating residents.
“We work with local communities and schools to encourage proper waste disposal, Michael noted. We also coordinate with quarter councils to ensure cleaning information reaches residents directly,” he added.
Beyond routine cleaning, the city is seeking long-term solutions through recycling partnerships.
“We are collaborating with partners to tackle plastic and aluminum waste through recycling, Michael said. Tax incentives have been introduced to attract recycling companies, and many have joined our efforts.”
Currently, the city rents a dumping site from Juba County but has plans to develop a modern landfill to improve waste management efficiency.
We are working toward establishing our own landfill, which will allow us to manage waste more effectively, he added.
Michael emphasized that maintaining a clean city requires the involvement of residents.
Keeping Juba clean isn’t just the city council’s responsibility—it’s a collective effort, he stated. We support community-based organizations by providing garbage trucks and plastic bags to facilitate waste collection.
Some residents are calling for stricter enforcement to sustain the improvements.
Juba City Council has made progress, but they should introduce penalties for those who litter, said Jameson Loro, a concerned citizen.
Others, like Nyadeng Lual Kur from Gudele Block 8, are celebrating the visible changes in their neighborhoods.
For the first time, my area is clean, she remarked. We’ve struggled with garbage issues for years. The city council used to collect waste fees but didn’t do the job. Now, I’m happy to pay because they collect waste daily.
Despite ongoing challenges, these efforts have sparked renewed trust in Juba City Council’s sanitation initiatives, marking a turning point in the city’s battle against waste mismanagement.
