The ongoing search and rescue operations at the Kiteezi landfill, which collapsed on Saturday following heavy rains, have taken a grim turn as officials now fear that around 80 children may still be trapped under the rubble. This update comes from Tom Muwonge, the Mayor of Kasangati, who provided an update on Monday afternoon regarding the scale of the tragedy.
The landfill collapse, which has already claimed at least 21 lives, buried numerous homes and trapped residents, scavengers, and pedestrians under tons of debris. Rescue teams, including the Uganda Police, Uganda Red Cross, and local residents, have been working around the clock to retrieve bodies and search for survivors. Despite their efforts, many fear that the full extent of the disaster is yet to be uncovered.
Mayor Muwonge revealed that many of the victims are likely to be children who were scavenging at the landfill for plastic bottles and other resalable materials. These children, known locally as “bakawenja,” are often not registered with the authorities, making it difficult to account for them in the aftermath of the disaster.
“I spoke to a person who heads the people who work in the landfill mostly as scavengers looking for plastic bottles and other materials that can be resold. Sadly by the time the tragedy happened, the registration had not happened, but people were already there,” the Mayor said.
He added that the leader of the scavengers estimated that at least 80 children were present at the landfill on the morning of the collapse.
“She also gave us some names she could remember. We are going to publish that list,” Muwonge added.
The Mayor also expressed concern about the number of homes that have yet to be uncovered. He noted that while excavators have unearthed some bricks and other building materials, indicating the presence of buried houses, many more remain buried deep under the rubble.
In addition to the homes, the rescue teams have also recovered livestock and motorcycles buried in the collapse, further underscoring the scale of the disaster. Despite these recoveries, the priority remains on finding and rescuing any remaining survivors.
The collapse of the Kiteezi landfill has prompted widespread concern about the safety of those living and working near the site.
President Yoweri Museveni, who has ordered the immediate evacuation of all families living in the vicinity of the landfill, questioned how such a situation was allowed to occur. He emphasized the dangers of living near a landfill, noting the risks posed by both the effluent and the potential for landslides.
President Museveni has also called for a thorough investigation into the disaster, led by Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Anne Muhairwe. The investigation will seek to determine the circumstances that led to the tragedy and to hold those responsible accountable.
