Feature: Rwandan gov't pushes for clear policy on garbage collection

At Nduba dumping site in Rwandan capital city Kigali's Gasabo district, Saraphine Mukamubera scavenges through garbage with bare hands and no protective gear, looking for valuables thrown with waste.

Minutes into her work, the 28-year-old Mukamubera is also trying to sort empty bottles from the waste.

This is her daily routine. Though there are health hazards associated with this kind of work, there is no clear policy to protect garbage collectors in Rwanda.

Now, members of parliament (MPs) are pushing for streamlined way of collecting and recycling garbage and sewage in the country' s cities.

On Tuesday, the lawmakers urged the government to set up a clear policy to govern the sector.

During a plenary session, the MPs said there is need for a specific policy to direct people on how to handle garbage and sewage if the country is to reverse the current trend of haphazard and unsafe way of collecting and recycling garbage and sewage.

The lawmakers explained how the current way of managing waste could be improved and asked the government to update its policy on waste management so as to bring about positive change in the way the sector is organized.

"Shouldn't there be some specialized containers in which to put garbage instead of putting it in sacks which aren't sometimes good at holding it?" MP Fortunee Nyiramadirida said.

Lawmakers wondered what is happening with waste water recycling in the City of Kigali, saying that despite new buildings found in downtown Kigali, repugnant smell emanates from some quarters of the city.

MP John Ruku Rwabyoma expressed concern about the health risks for garbage collectors who don't wear gloves and the fact that there are no designated trucks for garbage collection.

He suggested government must set minimum standards that companies must meet before collecting garbage.

"We need to get companies that are specialized in recycling specific types of garbage. Garbage collectors should be meeting some requirements before they are allowed in the business," Rwabyoma said.

The State Minister for Energy, Water, and Sanitation, Germaine Kamayirese, acknowledged that the current policy that governs garbage and sewage management was not clear enough.

She, however, said a new policy is being designed to ensure that details about sewage and garbage collection and recycling are provided.

In the new policy, she said, a greater focus will be put on sanitation and standards will be set on how to handle both solid and liquid waste.

The minister said that the new policy will clearly separate water and sanitation since they are different.

That separation of water and sanitation, according to the minister, will make it possible to focus on one of the areas and ensure that minimum standards are respected for each sector.

She said the new policy on sanitation will be able to specify different types of garbage and sewage as well as how to handle them.

About 70 percent of Kigali households use private companies, which at regular intervals collect garbage from their homes to be disposed of at designated sites.

An assessment of Kigali City did in 2012 showed that 186 tonnes of solid garbage was collected every day. Endi