A tragic incident occurred in Uganda’s northern Kampala district of Kiteezi, where a massive landfill collapse claimed 18 lives. The collapse, triggered by heavy rainfall on Saturday, buried homes, people, and livestock under mountains of waste, according to local media reports.
President Yoweri Museveni announced that he had directed the army’s special forces to assist in the search and rescue operations. He also demanded an investigation to determine how people were allowed to live near such a “potentially hazardous and dangerous heap.”
Kampala metropolitan police spokesman Patrick Onyango confirmed that 14 bodies were recovered on Saturday, with an additional four discovered on Sunday. The Kampala Capital City Authority, which manages the landfill, initially reported a death toll of eight, including two children.
The tragedy has left an estimated 1,000 people displaced. Police are coordinating with other government agencies and community leaders to provide assistance to those affected.
Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago described the incident as a “national disaster” and blamed corrupt officials for diverting funds that should have been used for landfill maintenance. Lukwago also raised concerns about the safety of the 36-acre Kiteezi landfill, which was established in 1996 and is now operating at full capacity, receiving approximately 1,500 tonnes of waste daily.
President Museveni announced on X (formerly Twitter) that families of the deceased would receive five million Ugandan shillings (about $1,300) for each fatality, while the injured would receive one million shillings (around $270). He also ordered the immediate relocation of all residents living in the “danger zone” near the landfill.
As rescue operations continue, excavators are working to clear the massive piles of rubbish, while distraught locals watch on in despair. Lukwago had previously warned of the health risks posed to those living and working near the overflowing landfill.
This disaster comes amid a series of extreme weather events in East Africa. In recent months, heavy rains have caused widespread devastation, including a mudslide in southern Ethiopia that killed around 250 people. In February 2010, a mudslide in Uganda’s Mount Elgon region claimed more than 350 lives.
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