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New crack sends chills down Kiteezi residents’ spines
A man uses a pickaxe to dig a garbage mound which fell on houses at Kiteezi Landfill killing some people and injuring many others on August 10, 2024. PHOTO/ ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- However, a source indicated that three more bodies were retrieved yesterday, bringing the number of dead to 25.
A second significant crack has been detected opposite the collapsed landfill in Wakiso District.
This comes days after a section of the landfill collapsed killing more than 20 people and destroying several properties.
Local leaders discovered the crack yesterday following the morning downpour, sparking fear and uncertainty among residents about another collapse.
In an interview with Monitor yesterday, the area defence leader, Mr Fred Sepuya, said: “A heap of garbage has developed a crack and might give way anytime now. With what happened on Saturday, the government should not wait for another disaster.”
Mr Sepuya said the discovery of the crack has caused panic among the more than 100 households near the landfill.
He said water was seeping from the heap and urged Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials to reduce the heap before it collapses again.
He added that all the drainage channels that used to carry water away from the collected garbage have since been covered, creating a new hazard by weakening the area.
Mr Rajab Buule, a resident, said: “The crack on the heap has developed, and if the authorities do not reduce it, it could collapse anytime based on what we witnessed.”
In response, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja ordered a team from her office and the police to investigate the situation and report back to prevent a potential disaster.
During a closed-door meeting yesterday morning, Ms Nabbanja said: “If another crack has developed, the DPC [District Police Commander] and his team must assess the situation. If the crack is significant, evacuate the people immediately.”
The meeting included officials from the Prime Minister’s office, Red Cross, police, local leaders, and KCCA.
After the meeting, KCCA Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka told Monitor that their experts were exploring ways to stabilise the area to prevent it from collapsing.
When the reporter visited the site yesterday, she noticed a crack running through the centre of a garbage heap, which had formed a mountain-like shape. The crack extended to the opposite side, but that area was inaccessible due to its fragility.
Meanwhile, journalists were barred from accessing the scene of the incident.
However, a source indicated that three more bodies were retrieved yesterday, bringing the number of dead to 25.
