The minister's report contradicts that of the Police who have been coordinating search efforts at the scene of the tragic garbage collapse
The Minister for Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Minsa Kabanda, has only 11 people are unaccounted for from the Kiteezi landfill tragedy and not 28 as suggested.
Addressing Parliament's Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE), Minister Kabanda emphasised that official figures indicate only 11 people remain unaccounted for, contradicting other sources.
"The claims of 28 missing people are speculative. According to the Office of the Prime Minister, 11 individuals are still missing," Kabanda said.
The minister was responding to queries raised during an appearance before COSASE, where she accompanied KCCA management to address waste management concerns highlighted in the December 2023 Auditor General's report.
The landfill collapse, which engulfed at least 35 homes, has led to the deaths of 35 people, with 18 others rescued.
However, discrepancies in reported figures have raised questions among MPs. Medard Sseggona, MP for Busiro East, challenged the government's inconsistent numbers.
He cited reports from a local official that 28 individuals were missing, yet the minister maintained the official count was 11.
Minister Kabanda reiterated that no additional bodies had been recovered since the initial count, attributing the discrepancies to speculation.
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"The official figures remain at 11 missing, 35 deceased, and 18 survivors," she confirmed.
The landfill, located in Kiteezi, has faced scrutiny for mismanagement, with the Auditor General's report warning that it poses a significant health and environmental risk.
The report highlighted that critical infrastructure, including a weighbridge and water treatment plant, were non-functional, and that garbage collectors lacked essential protective equipment.
KCCA Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka acknowledged the landfill's near-capacity state and the challenges posed by insufficient funding for its maintenance.
Kisaka revealed that KCCA purchased 145 acres in 2016 for a new waste treatment facility, with plans to establish a modern waste-to-energy plant once funding is secured.
In the meantime, Kiteezi's capacity has been expanded by four acres, and drainage systems have been improved to mitigate future risks.
Addressing concerns about encroachment on landfill land, Kabanda denied that residents had encroached on the site, clarifying that many hold valid land titles.
She refuted President Museveni's earlier statement that residents had unlawfully occupied KCCA land.
"It is the garbage that encroached on their land, not the other way around."
