Pader town’s year-long equipment breakdown triggers environmental crisis and public uutcry

29 November 2025, 20:02

By Ekel Bonny Daniel

Pader Town Council is facing a worsening waste management crisis, fueled not by a total halt in garbage collection, but by a year of unreliable and inconsistent collection services.

The town’s only garbage tractor has been grounded for over a year at Toka Automotive Garage, forcing the council to depend entirely on a district truck whose support is often delayed.

The result has been mounting frustration among residents and growing concerns about the environmental health of the town.

According to Kilama Fearless Wodacholi, the Urban Council III Chairperson, the breakdown of the town’s tractor has severely disrupted the smooth running of the garbage collection timetable, which is supposed to occur every Tuesday and Friday.

 “Taxpayers must be served,” he emphasized. “People pay revenue to the town council, and it is our responsibility to keep the environment clean. We cannot blame residents when garbage stays uncollected for days because the district lorry delays.”

Wodacholi explained that while garbage collection has not completely stopped, it has become highly unpredictable.

The district truck often arrives late, sometimes misses scheduled days entirely, and leaves large amounts of waste unattended in streets, drainage channels, and commercial areas.

He also pointed to “signals of corruption” within the Town Council Authority that may have contributed to the prolonged failure to repair the tractor.

“These issues will be addressed fully by my return to office,” he vowed.

He added that during a recent monitoring visit, his team discovered broader service delivery challenges poor road maintenance, inadequate urban greening, drainage blockages, and nonfunctional street lights.

“The town is our home and our identity,” he said. “All stakeholders must work together to ensure a clean and healthy environment.”

The Principal Town Clerk, Mark Lamson Okello, also stressed that waste management is a shared responsibility between the council and residents.

“Unnecessary dumping is taking place, especially by individuals who scavenge garbage for survival,” he said. “Even when the district truck comes, some residents fail to bring out their waste properly.”

He reassured the public that the council’s tractor would soon be repaired and that a new, reliable collection schedule would be announced.

Despite these assurances, residents say the situation continues to deteriorate. Auma Collins Hope, a businesswoman in Pader Town Council, said she has resorted to burning her rubbish especially lightweight litter easily blown by wind.

“The tractor has taken too long to repair,” she noted. “The council should consider hiring people to gather scattered litter. Burning waste affects the soil and environment, but many of us have no alternative.”

In places like Luna Parish, the problem is more visible. Resident Akera Patrick described some streets as “too dirty and congested with rubbish.” He said certain areas are so littered that “you may not even see a friend on the other side of the road.”

He called for slashing overgrown areas, improving garbage collection, and restoring the town’s beauty.

The ongoing crisis underscores the delicate balance between leadership, community cooperation, and environmental protection.

As Pader Town awaits the long-delayed repair of its tractor and more consistent support from the district, one message remains clear: protecting the town’s environment requires urgent action, accountability, and collaboration.

Without these, the waste management challenges will continue to threaten both the town’s image and the health of its residents.