An innovation for pit-emptying services using a GIS-enabled application

Basic Data
Population size: 3, 846, 102
Population Growth Rate(%): 5.31
Surface Area (sq.km):189
Population Density (people/sq.km):9352
GDP Per Capita(U.S.S):2655
Main Source of Prosperity: Tourism

Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, has a resident population of 1,738,000, but it fluctuates to over 4,000,000 during the day as people from surrounding areas commute for work, business, and various activities in the city. Over 60% of this population lives in informal housing, while only between 10% and 15% of the city is connected to the formal sewerage system. 90% of the population relies on the on-site sanitation model, making waste-emptying services unavoidable for many residents. Accessing emptying services was a challenge as many had to visit the offices physically to receive the service which was offered on first-come first-serve basis after proof of payment submission. Pit latrines and septic tanks are often emptied haphazardly into the environment by unregulated vendors providing these services.

It is within this context that the Weyonje App was developed and introduced. Citizens can use the app on their mobile phones to order emptying services that are monitored until the sludge is successfully delivered to the regulated dumpsite. Citizens without smartphones, especially those living in poor informal settlements, have the option to contact the Village Health Team (VHT), which requests the service on their behalf using the Weyonje Village Health Team Application. 

The App ensures that the faecal sludge is safely transported and managed at the treatment plant. Data from the App feeds digitally into the city’s data management dashboard enabling the city to track progress and gaps in the emptying service.