4. Conclusions
The demand for solid waste collection has steadily increased in the East African urban
councils as urban population increase with the accompanying expansion of settlements
mostly occupied by the peri-urban poor (in informal settlements) that receive little or no
waste services at all. The waste collection and disposal levels are low in all urban councils in
East Africa resulting in waste piles that cause environmental degradation and health hazard.
Waste management is a decentralised function of urban councils but its funding is
predominantly external and the urban councils do not prioritise waste management in their
annual plans. These have combined to cause poor allocation of resources and ineffective
solid waste management by urban councils.