Eight Dead In Kiteezi Landfill Tragedy

Eight people have been confirmed dead, with tens feared to be still trapped after a garbage heap buried houses in Kiteezi, Kawempe Division.

The devastating incident happened in the wee hours of Saturday morning at Kampala Capital City Authority’s Kiteezi landfill.

“With deep sadness, we confirm that eight people have been found dead, including six adults and two children. The rescue operation is ongoing, and we will provide updates as new information becomes available.” said KCCA.

By press time, KCCA had confirmed rescuing 14 individuals from the debris. Among the deceased are six adults and two children. Various leaders, including State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Refugees Ms. Lilian Aber, Kyadondo East MP Muwada Nkunyingi, and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, visited the scene.

The political leaders and security officers held an emergency meeting on the ground to assess the situation.

“We are committed to working relentlessly alongside emergency response teams to ensure that we move faster and rescue our people,” said Ms. Aber.

Kiteezi ticking bomb

The Kiteezi landfill receives about 1,500 tons of waste daily and is crucial to Kampala’s waste management. However, over the past years, it has reportedly been working past its capacity since 2011.

“The Kampala Capital City Authority Landfill in Kiteezi has had a structural failure in waste mass this morning resulting in a collapsed section of the landfill. The level of damage is still being assessed. However no fatalities have been recorded at this time.” KCCA

KCCA also tried to burry fears of the tragedy becoming worse.

“We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community. We will update you because this is a developing story.” KCCA.

Following the tragedy, a conversation about the country’s emergency services was sparked on social media. One user on X expressed concerns as to why government and police services delayed to reach the scene. It was reported that residents used a privately owned excavator to dig through the debris before state services reached.