President Museveni has directed State House to give shs5 million for each person killed during Saturday morning's Kiteezi landfill tragedy.
"I have directed the State House Comptroller to financially assist the families of those who died with Shs5million per person who died and Shs1 million per person who was injured," Museveni said on Sunday.
He however clarified that the money is not part of the legal compensation that may come from government .
The Saturday morning incident saw Kampala's only garbage dump collapse, burying houses of locals.
So far, 12 people have been confirmed dead and a score others rushed to nearby health facilities.
President Museveni on Sunday extended condolences to the families of those that lost loved ones but said the idea of staying near the landfill was a wrong one.
"The first question that comes to mind is: "Who allowed People to live near such a potentially hazardous and dangerous heap?" Even without peeling off and burying People, the effluent alone (ejyurigyiriro) must be hazardous to health."
He said the indigenous cow-dung and house-hold refuse heaps were dangerous enough, the fact that they were mainly organic, notwithstanding.
According to the president, no settlement would be allowed below the landfill on account of the stench.
"Even without breaking off) of part of the mound to bury people, the effluent alone would be unpleasant and hazardous. How much more dangerous is the Kiteezi mount that is full of plastic, etc.?"
He however noted that when he inquired from the KCCA Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, he was told that there were plans to relocated the landfill to Dundu in Mukono but locals that side didn't want it.
" Instead, they have been working on positively using the rubbish, which is actually good, to generate electricity, make manure, recycle the plastics, etc. That, however, does not answer the question of why human settlement was allowed near the heap."
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Museveni said he has asked the Deputy IGG, Anne Muhairwe, to expeditiously investigate the matter and furnish me with the report.
" In the meantime, I have directed the Prime Minister to co-ordinate the removal of all the house-holds in the danger zone, in addition to ensuring the recovery, if possible of the People still buried in the rubbish."
He said asked members of the public to learn to stay away from danger, listing forests, swamps and rivers as being among the dangerous places.
"All should know that people- technical or political who encourage them to do so are, actually, their enemies. How many times have we lost people in such mountain land slides, floods, etc.? Let us learn and keep away from danger."
Museveni said he has directed the Special Force Command to join the ongoing rescue efforts in Kitezi.
