Assessment of Quality of Household Solid Waste Collection by Private Service Providers in Bujumbura City

Abstract

Public provision of municipal solid waste collection services in developing countries is characterised by poor service delivery. This paper examines if privatisation has led to better quality of households’ waste collection services in Bujumbura city, Burundi. The paper is based on 308 questionnaire survey of Bujumbura households’ living in high, middle and low class residential facilities served by private service providers; coupled with interviews and document analysis. The quality of service is based on nine service quality indicators. About 28.8% of registered households for waste collection paid and serviced by private service providers. Waste collection is varied and mostly every two weeks, yet license stipulates once per week; whereas charges are varied and higher than the set rates. Ordinal probit regression analysis shows that out of 9 service quality indicators, 6 are significant at household level and 5 on the residential class. Households’ living in high class residential expresses greater satisfaction with quality of service than those who live in middle and low class residential. The paper recommends regular monitoring and supervision of solid waste collection by private service providers for quality services delivery to households in Bujumbura city.