KCCA launches biogas production and packaging facility

KCCA ED Hajjat Sharifa Buzeki speaking at the launch
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Cleaner cooking energy, reduced garbage in communities, and a safer environment are among the expected benefits of a new partnership between Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Cenergy Solutions, Homekline, and Khainza Energy to convert organic solid waste into biogas and fertilizers.
The initiative is expected to supply Kampala residents with clean, affordable cooking gas while easing the city’s growing waste burden. Speaking at the launch of the Homekline biogas production and packaging facility in Nsambya on Wednesday, Gary Fanger, the Chief Executive Officer of Cenergy Solutions, a United States corporation, said the project will produce biogas from solid waste, capture it, package it, and distribute it across the country.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 2.9 million to 4 million people die prematurely each year from illnesses directly linked to household air pollution caused by cooking with polluting fuels such as wood and charcoal. Fanger explained that biogas generated from solid waste, animal waste, human waste, and food waste will help communities transition away from these hazardous fuels.
With an investment of equipment worth 50 million US dollars, he said, Kampala residents, including commercial operators, will benefit from cleaner, safer, and more affordable cooking energy. He noted that a pilot project already underway in Kampala can supply about 500 homes with enough gas for daily cooking. However, the company is seeking permission from KCCA to access landfill waste and collaborate with farmers to collect animal and poultry waste for energy production.
KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifa Buzeki said the authority plans in the next financial year to establish a plant that will convert solid waste into energy, noting that the task is too large for KCCA to undertake alone. She welcomed the partnership with Homekline and Cenergy Solutions, saying it will help reduce Kampala’s garbage backlog. Buzeki emphasized the importance of sorting waste at the source by separating organic from inorganic materials to simplify the energy conversion process.
Isaac Katureebe, the CEO of Homekline — the company contracted to collect garbage from Kampala to the KCCA landfill in Buyala — said the partnership aims to provide affordable cooking energy to communities. He noted that this project introduces biogas supplied in cylinders, moving beyond traditional biodigesters commonly used in households. Katureebe added that the initiative will help reduce garbage in communities while protecting the environment by offering a clean alternative to charcoal.
Arthur Woniala, the Chief Executive Officer of Khainza Energy, said the biodigester introduced by Cenergy is over 60 percent cheaper than alternatives currently on the market and is user-friendly. He explained that the project plans to work with 50 commercial farmers who will supply animal waste for energy production, as well as schools that will contribute kitchen waste for cooking gas generation.
Woniala added that biogas is safer than LPG because it is lighter than air and disperses quickly in case of leakage, unlike LPG, which is heavier and can accumulate indoors.
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www.independent.co.ug, https://www.independent.co.ug/kcca-launches-biogas-production-and-packaging-facility/