Uganda Waste Slide Leaves 21 Dead

A devastating landslide at the Kiteezi landfill in Kampala, Uganda, has claimed the lives of at least 21 people, with rescue operations still underway.

The disaster occurred late on Friday, 9 August, following weeks of torrential rain, which caused a massive hill of accumulated rubbish to collapse, burying nearby homes as residents slept.

The 36-acre landfill, the sole waste disposal site for Kampala’s estimated four million residents, has long been a source of concern. Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago described the event as a tragedy waiting to happen, with fears that more victims may still be trapped under the debris.

Authorities have reported that 14 people, along with several animals, have been rescued so far. Around 1 000 residents have been displaced, many of whom depended on scavenging at the landfill for their livelihoods.

President Yoweri Museveni has ordered an investigation into why people were allowed to live so close to the hazardous site and has directed the relocation of those in the affected area. Meanwhile, the Uganda Red Cross is providing temporary shelters for the displaced.

Efforts to secure a new landfill site for the city have been delayed for years, exacerbating the risks posed by the overcrowded and poorly managed Kiteezi dump.

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