President Yoweri Museveni expressed his deep condolences yesterday as the death toll from the Kiteezi landfill disaster climbed to 21.
Rescue teams, including the Police, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Red Cross, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), and local residents, continued their search through the debris, looking for more victims.
The Tragic Incident
The catastrophe struck on Saturday when heavy rains triggered a massive landslide at the overburdened landfill in Wakiso district. The landslide buried several homes, causing widespread destruction.
Presidential Condolences and Concerns
President Museveni took to his X (formerly Twitter) platform to convey his sympathies to the bereaved families. #
“Fellow Ugandans, especially the bazzukulu, greetings. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the Kiteezi landfill tragedy,” he wrote.
He also questioned how people were permitted to live near such a hazardous site, noting the serious health risks posed by the landfill even before the landslide.
Museveni emphasized the dangers associated with living near waste dumps, particularly given the hazardous materials in the landfill, such as plastics.
He directed the UPDF special forces to aid in the rescue operations and instructed State House Comptroller Jane Barekye to provide UGX 5 million to each family of the deceased and to assist the injured.
“This is not to replace any legal compensation that may arise if government agencies are found responsible,” Museveni clarified.
He also mentioned plans to relocate the landfill to Ddundu in Mukono district, though local opposition has led to alternative plans for waste management, such as generating electricity and recycling.
Investigations and Immediate Actions
The President directed the Deputy Inspector General of Government, Anne Muhairwe, to investigate the situation and report back with findings.
He also instructed the Prime Minister to coordinate the removal of households in the danger zone and continue the search for those still buried under the garbage.
Human Toll and Survivor Accounts
As rescue efforts continued, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango confirmed that 20 people had died, with 10 others rescued alive.
The search would persist, with the landfill now closed until further notice. It is estimated that over 1,000 people have been displaced by the landslide.
Survivors and residents shared their heartbreaking stories. Charles Kabunga, a father of three, lost two of his children when their house was buried under the garbage.
Another resident, Edward Kato, managed to rescue four people, including a pregnant woman, but tragically lost seven neighbors.
There was widespread frustration over the delayed government response, with residents like Ronald Ssenteza and Sarah Namujju expressing their fears and concerns.
One grieving mother, who lost all four of her children, lamented that they might have been saved if it had been a school day.
Comparisons to Past Disasters
The Kiteezi tragedy has drawn comparisons to previous disasters, such as the landslides in the Mountain Elgon region in eastern Uganda, which claimed over 50 lives in 2010.
KCCA’s Acknowledgement of the Problem
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka acknowledged that the landfill issue has been worsened by the city’s rapid growth and inadequate waste management infrastructure.
Kampala’s population has surged from about two million in 2002 to over five million in 2022, overwhelming the existing systems.
Despite ongoing efforts, Kisaka admitted that without an alternative landfill, waste collection in the city remains problematic.
The Kiteezi landfill had already been operating beyond its capacity, with warnings from officials like Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago going unheeded.
Lukwago called for the immediate decommissioning of the landfill, stressing that it had become a “national crisis.”
Environmental and Public Health Concerns
Environmental experts have long warned of the dangers posed by the Kiteezi landfill.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has recommended that KCCA acquire new land for waste management, emphasizing the risks of contamination to soil and water sources.
Activists and experts criticized the government for failing to act on repeated calls to close the landfill.
Waste management expert John Katungi urged the government to review and improve Uganda’s waste management policies to prevent future tragedies.
The Call for Action
As the nation mourns the victims of the Kiteezi landfill disaster, the need for urgent and comprehensive action on waste management has never been clearer.
