Uganda’s Inter-Religious Council Urges Government to Expedite Resettlement of Kiteezi Landfill Victims
The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda has called on the government to accelerate the resettlement of people affected by the Kiteezi landfill disaster, which has left hundreds of families homeless. Led by Archbishop Dr. Steven Kaziimba Mugalu, the council visited the affected area to pray for the victims and deliver aid.
The council’s chairman, Dr. Kaziimba, urged the government to find a swift solution to the crisis, allowing displaced people to return to normalcy and leave the temporary shelters. “These people will not stay in camps forever,” he said. “We ask the government to resettle them as quickly as possible and also allow those who left their property behind to go back and pick it up.”
Dr. Kaziimba also emphasized the need for the government to learn from other countries that have disaster response plans in place. “Other countries have plans for such disasters, they help citizens overcome such situations immediately and life goes back to normal, Uganda must do the same,” he said.
The number of people housed in the camp is increasing daily, with 360 individuals, including 158 children, 129 women, and 73 men, currently seeking shelter. The Uganda Red Cross has been providing relief aid, including food and essential household items, but has called on others to donate aid to support the efforts.
The Red Cross has also deployed professional counselors to offer psychosocial support to the affected people, many of whom are struggling to cope with the trauma of the disaster. The search for missing victims continues, with 35 bodies recovered so far.
Meanwhile, the police have refuted rumors that people were forcibly removed from their homes, stating that they are only speaking to those in vulnerable areas to encourage them to relocate to safer places.
