KAMPALA, Uganda – The death toll from a massive rubbish heap collapse in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, has risen to 24, with at least four children among the victims.
The collapse occurred at the Kiteezi landfill on Friday, where rescuers are still combing through the debris for potential survivors, according to the city authorities.
The incident, believed to have been triggered by heavy rainfall, resulted in what officials are describing as a “structural failure in waste mass.” Despite ongoing efforts, Irene Nakasiita, a spokesperson for the Uganda Red Cross, reported that there is little hope of finding more survivors.
The exact number of people unaccounted for remains unclear. The Kiteezi landfill, an expansive dumpsite on a hillside in an impoverished area, receives hundreds of garbage trucks daily.
Despite being slated for decommissioning by the city authority years ago, the landfill continues to operate.
The area is known as a dangerous no-man’s land within the city of three million people, where women and children frequently scavenge for plastic waste to sell.
Some families have even constructed permanent homes nearby, despite the evident risks.
In response to the tragedy, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has ordered an investigation into the causes of the collapse.
In a series of posts on social media platform X, Museveni questioned how people were allowed to reside so close to such a hazardous site, emphasizing that the effluent from the landfill is dangerous enough to warrant evacuation.
“Who allowed people to live near such a potentially hazardous and dangerous heap?” Museveni asked, pointing to the ongoing risk posed by the unstable heap of garbage.
