Factors affecting households willingness to pay for garbage collection services. A case study of Bwaise and Makerere Villages Kawempe South Division Kampala Capital City Authority

Abstract

The objective of the study was to investigate the socio-demographic and economic factors affecting the amount households are willing to pay and households’ willingness to pay for garbage collection services. A cross-sectional survey was adopted and primary data was collected from 119 respondents from different households around Bwaise and Makerere Villages in Kawempe South Division using questionnaire approach designed in Kobo Tool Box. Stratified sampling was used and simple random sampling was used to reach out sample households within each strata. Data cleaning was done using r studio and analysis was done using STATA. Multiple and logistic regression was used to investigate the influence of socio-demographic and economic factors influencing households’ willingness to pay. The study findings revealed majority of the respondents were leaving in rented houses (68.07%), most respondents had completed tertiary/university education (50.42%), most households stored their garbage in paper bags (55.46%). The study findings revealed that average household income had a significant impact on the amount households are willing to pay for garbage collection services since p (0.000) <p (0.05). The study findings revealed that presence of a garbage collection centre in the area had a significant impact on amount households are willing to pay for garbage collection services since p (0.002) <p (0.05). Households that reported private sector employment had a significant influence on willingness to pay for garbage collection services p(0.045) <p(0.05) and it further revealed that households who reported private sector employment were 3.507607 times more willing to pay for garbage collection services than those doing business (OR=3.507607). The study findings revealed that education level under primary and tertiary/ university were the only socio-demographic factors that significantly affected the amount households were willing to pay for garbage collection services. Others such as gender, household size, rent had no significant influence on amount households’ were willing to pay for garbage collection services. The study recommended that more emphasis should be put on educating the importance of paying for garbage collection services to raise enough funds to cover operation costs. The study further recommended construction of garbage collection points in every area to reduce mass dumping of garbage by households. The study recommended further research about the status of garbage in various cities of Uganda.