34 Bodies Recovered from Kiteezi Landfill Collapse as Rescue Efforts Continue

As of this morning, 34 bodies have been recovered from the Kiteezi dumpsite. Four of these bodies were recovered from the garbage mound on Thursday.

According to Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, the bodies were retrieved from under the collapsed garbage, an incident that occurred last Saturday.

“Today, the operational team at the Kiteezi landfill did tremendous work and recovered four bodies. The total number of bodies recovered so far stands at 34. This figure is accurate as of 6:30 pm,” Onyango said on Thursday evening.

Onyango identified the deceased as including nine-year-old Nassiwa Leticia, one-year-old Nakalema Benitta, six-year-old Katerega Simon, and 29-year-old Nakitto Moureen.

He further mentioned that Nakabiri Magret, a resident of Bukomero Nakiluli in Kiboga district, and Lukanga Fred helped to identify all the bodies. Onyango also noted that bad weather posed a challenge, especially in the evening hours.

Seven unidentified bodies remain at the mortuary. Among them is Abdul Nasir, whose family has been searching for him since 2022. His family was unaware of his fate until his name appeared among the victims of the Kiteezi landfill collapse.

Abdul Nasir’s disappearance had been previously reported at Wandegeya Police Station. However, his case took an unexpected turn when his name was included in the list of victims from the collapse.

To confirm his identity, Patrick Onyango explained that a DNA test would be conducted on a man claiming to be Abdul’s father.

“A man claiming to be Abdul’s father presented a National ID but lacked supporting testimony or documentation. Due to concerns about possible fraudulent claims, we will conduct DNA testing to verify the relationship,” Onyango explained.

He further emphasized that claimants must provide concrete evidence to establish their relationship before the police can release the bodies for burial. “We will verify their claims to ensure the deceased is handed over to the rightful family,” Onyango noted.

Police reported that rescue teams at the Kiteezi site are facing significant challenges due to waterlogged conditions.

“The rescue operation has been hindered by the waterlogged site, forcing us to divert efforts towards creating a drainage channel. This setback has delayed our progress, and unfortunately, no additional bodies have been recovered yet,” said an officer involved in the rescue efforts.

From URN