Francis Kabagambe accused of dumping life threatening landslide soils in Hoima.

Residents of Rusaka upper in Hoima city are in fear of a potential landslide after a businessman Francis Kabagambe began dumping chalky soil on his two acres of land along the Hoima Kampala Road.

The Soil is already spilling onto nearby perimeter walls and houses. Local and leaders have raised concerns, writing to Kabagambe and city authorities but have received no response.

They fear that heavy rains could cause a landslide similar to the Kiteezi disaster, as the soil pile covers two acres and towers over neighboring homes.

The two acres of land between the National social security fund (NSS) offices and Hoima school of nursing and midwifery along the Hoima Kampala highway just a kilometer from the central business center has been here for close to 10 years with few people aware of who the owner a prime land within a town had stayed without being tampered with by land grabbers despite being vacant.

It was recently when the Hoima stadium construction commenced that it was discovered that the prime land belongs to a prominent business man Francis Kabagambe who took advantage of the free soils being excavated for leveling that he used to fill up his land for leveling.

With the front view looking okay, it’s extremely different to the back where the heaps of soils have developed cracks sliding to people’s houses with now the people around Rusaka upper living in fear of a possible landslide if this is not addressed in time.

Raphael Kusemererwa the Rusaka upper local council one chairman says Kabagambe never consulted not even communicating to the local authorities and neighbors for guidance and possible outcomes.

“We only saw trucks bringing soils and dumping it to his land, while we had no problem about that but the land has been piled so high that it is passed the rooftops of houses, most unfortunately it is chalky land which can’t compact, cracks are already vivid, so we are in fear” Kusemererwa said

Alfred Magambo the immediate neighbor says, the soils have already got to his perimeter wall with fear due to the heavy rains that have started anything may happen at night and lives are lost.

“That is how Kiteezi started, people complained and no one was responding until when lives were lost, we have made appeals to the same Kabagambe but he doesn’t want to listen to us because he sis super rich and none of us can do anything” Magambo said

Robert Muhumuza is yet another who faults the city leadership both political and technical wing, accusing the mayor Brian Kaboyo and city RCC Badru Mugabi of passing by the same affected area with no sense of following up what effects it has.

“Badru Mugabi the RCC sleeps in Kinubi but he also goes to his home in Masindi passes here, the mayor Kaboyo his offices are in the same village here, just at a distance but we have made noise but they seem not ready to save us, there are rumors that they benefited from dumping these soils probably that may be the reason why they care less about us” Muhumuza said

Brian Kaboyo who has since visited the same spot noted with concern that they are going to follow up to ensure that it is addressed.

“I have just learnt about this, but as a city we have going to engage the owner of the land, those dumping it to ensure that they make the way here, level the soils so that we do not lose lives though we want development” Kaboyo said

Moses Muyambi, the Hoima city east resident city commissioner, said security has already picked interest in the matter, noting how they plan to have a village meeting with the affected parties to resolve the landfill matters, waterflow channels and the access road that is said to have been blocked by Kabagambe.

When contacted, Business man Francis Kabagambe only told our reporter to back off the matter if he still wants peace and his job in the region.

“I’m not ready to meet you for an interview but my only advice to you is to dump the soil if you want peace with me and you still need your job, do it at your own risk, me am not a joking man I have made my name and money” Kabagambe said on phone