Eight people confirmed dead as a mass pile of garbage buries homes and livestock at Kiteezi KCCA landfill

A tragic incident occurred on Saturday morning at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Landfill in Kiteezi, where a massive pile of garbage buried houses, people, and livestock, leaving many feared dead.

The landfill, which typically handles around 1,500 tons of waste each day, partially collapsed after heavy rains on Friday night, causing its structure to fail.

KCCA and local authorities have launched a rescue operation to save the people and livestock trapped under the debris.

While no fatalities have been reported yet, many are still missing and feared dead.

“The extent of the damage is still being evaluated. However, no deaths have been confirmed at this time. Our teams, alongside other government agencies, are on the ground taking necessary steps to secure the area and prevent any further incidents,” KCCA stated on Saturday afternoon.

“We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and well-being of the community,” the Authority added.

KCCA’s Public Health Directorate recommended in a 2023 site visit report that the government address the Kiteezi landfill’s capacity issues by either relocating to a new site in Dundi-Mukono or developing the adjacent 4-acre land acquired for expansion purposes.