Tragedy struck in Wakiso district Saturday morning as a portion of the Kiteezi Landfill collapsed, engulfing over 30 homes and leading to an unknown number of casualties.
The catastrophic waste-slide occurred at approximately 7:00 PM, sweeping through more than 30 households and leaving behind widespread devastation.
Easter Namujuzi, a mother of two who narrowly escaped with injuries, described the horrifying moment when the massive garbage heap came crashing down like a wave, engulfing homes.
“I frantically ran out, screaming for people to evacuate, but only a few heard me. Unfortunately, my nearby neighbors were trapped and couldn’t be saved,” Namujuzi recounted, still shaken by the ordeal.
Another resident, Joseph Musoke Mukibi, who was about to leave for work when the collapse occurred, blamed the disaster on the landfill’s neglect.
“The treatment plant has been inactive for years, and we lack compacting machines, leading to overflow,” Mukibi explained.
“Unfortunately, many are still buried, and we’ve only rescued two people so far. We anxiously await the excavators, hoping they’ll arrive in time to save more lives.”
A 2023 report by KCCA’s Public Health Directorate had recommended that the government address the Kiteezi landfill’s capacity issues by either relocating to a new site in Dundi-Mukono or expanding into the adjacent 4-acre land acquired for such purposes.
Rescue efforts are ongoing at the Kiteezi landfill, with excavators working tirelessly in hopes of rescuing more trapped victims.
By
James Mugisha
