Garbage Landslide in Kampala Claims 23 Lives

A devastating garbage landslide in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, has resulted in the loss of 23 lives, with many more feared trapped in the debris. The incident occurred on Saturday at a landfill in the northern district of Kiteezi, where heavy downpours caused a massive collapse, burying people and livestock under mountains of waste.

According to Kampala city authority spokesman Daniel Nuweabine, the latest confirmed death toll is 23, with the search for survivors still ongoing. "We are working with other agencies to assess the situation and help those in distress," he said.

The area’s resident commissioner, Yasin Ndide, had previously reported that five children were among the victims. Over the weekend, excavators worked tirelessly to clear the massive rubbish mounds, as desperate relatives and onlookers watched the search for survivors.

The incident has been described as a "national disaster" by city mayor Erias Lukwago, who warned that many more could still be buried in the debris. He raised concerns over the hazardous risks of overflowing waste from the 36-acre landfill, which was established in 1996 and handles almost all of Kampala’s waste.

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the army’s special forces to assist in the search and rescue operation and demanded to know who allowed people to live near the potentially hazardous landfill.

Heavy rains have been battering several areas in Uganda and East Africa, including Ethiopia, the second most populous country on the continent. In recent months, devastating mudslides in southern Ethiopia killed around 250 people, while in February 2010, mudslides in eastern Uganda killed more than 350 people.

This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by poor waste management and the need for urgent action to address the issue.