On August 10, 2024, a landslide occurred at the Kiteezi landfill in Kampala, Uganda’s capital. As of August 11, 2024, the landslide has claimed the lives of at least 18 people with the toll rising as rescue efforts continue.
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The landslide was by heavy and continuous rainfall, which caused a massive heap of rubbish to collapse.
The Kiteezi landfill, which spans 36 acres (14 hectares) is the only landfill serving Kampala. The continuous accumulation of waste over decades turned the site into a mountain of garbage.
The landslide buried several homes located at the edge of the landfill while residents were asleep resulting in numerous fatalities.
Initially eight bodies including those of two children were recovered. By August 11, the death toll had risen to 18 as more bodies were retrieved.
Around 1,000 people have been displaced due to the disaste and forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere.
As of August 12, 2024, the death toll has risen to 21. Fourteen individuals have been rescued, some with severe injuries, while approximately 1,000 people have been displaced.
Rescue operations are ongoing, but heavy rainfall has hampered progress. Efforts are focused on locating any remaining survivors and recovering bodies buried under the massive heaps of trash.
President Yoweri Museveni has ordered the immediate relocation of residents living near the landfill to prevent further damage.
The President has also called for a thorough investigation into the causes of the landslide with a focus on identifying any negligence by officials responsible for the landfill’s management.
Tents and temporary shelters have been set up by the Red Cross and other agencies to accommodate those displaced by the disaster.
Authorities including Kampala’s honorary mayor Erias Lukwago had previously warned of the dangers posed by the Kiteezi landfill.
In Ethiopia (2017), a landslide at a landfill in Addis Ababa resulted in the deaths of at least 115 people.
In Mozambique (2018), a similar disaster in Maputo claimed 17 lives. Despite repeated complaints about hazardous conditions, the site continued to operate, receiving around 1,500 tonnes of waste daily.
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Rescuers including police and military personnel continue to dig through the waste in search of survivors.
Heavy machinery such as excavators is being used to go through the massive piles of garbage. So far, 14 people have been rescued from the debris.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has directed the army’s special forces to assist in the rescue operations.
President Museveni has ordered an investigation into how people were allowed to live so close to the potentially hazardous and dangerous heap.
He has also directed the immediate relocation of people living in the danger zone. The president announced that the families of the deceased would receive compensation of five million Ugandan shillings (approximately $1,300) for each fatality, while the injured would receive one million shillings (around $270).
Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago described the incident as a national disaster that was bound to happen due to the landfill being filled to capacity.
Similar tragedies have occurred across sub-Saharan Africa due to poorly managed landfills.
Uganda has experienced landslides in the past in mountainous regions. In February 2010, mudslides in the Mount Elgon region in eastern Uganda killed more than 350 people.
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