This catastrophe, with its harrowing scenes of devastation and loss, is not a natural disaster but a man-made one—rooted in corruption, negligence, and a disturbing lack of accountability.
The sight of rescuers sifting through the rubble, with little hope of finding survivors, should have stirred a national reckoning.
Instead, it has become a political spectacle, with the real culprits escaping the justice they deserve.
For years, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has been allocated billions of shillings—over 4 billion annually, to be precise—to manage the landfill.
This money, intended to maintain the landfill and ensure it doesn’t become a hazard, has likely been pocketed by corrupt officials. The inevitable consequence of this greed and mismanagement was the collapse of the landfill, burying communities that lived in its shadow.
The tragedy is not just in the loss of life but in the knowledge that it could have been prevented if those in charge had done their jobs.
Instead of facing prosecution, those responsible for this disaster remain untouched, as the tragedy has been transformed into a stage for political posturing.
Top politicians from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) have flocked to the site, not to offer genuine solutions, but to conduct public relations exercises designed to shield the government from criticism ahead of the 2026 elections.
Each visit, each speech, is a calculated attempt to deflect blame and control the narrative, rather than to address the root causes of the disaster.
The Office of the Prime Minister has sent ministers to the site daily, ostensibly to comfort the victims and provide explanations for the government’s failure.
Meanwhile, the opposition sees an opportunity to score political points, with its leaders making routine visits to highlight the government’s incompetence.
The Lord Mayor of Kampala, a key figure in the opposition, has camped at the site, presenting it as evidence of the ruling party’s failures.
The area Member of Parliament, also an opposition figure, has been vocal in condemning the government’s role in the catastrophe.
Amidst all this, there is a deafening silence on the need for accountability. No one is calling for the prosecution of the individuals whose corruption and negligence led to this disaster.
Instead, the focus remains on the political theatre, with both sides using the tragedy to advance their agendas. This is a stark reminder that in Uganda, political power often takes precedence over the welfare of the people.
The Kiteezi landfill catastrophe is a tragic example of how corruption and political manoeuvring can lead to devastating consequences for ordinary citizens.
It is a disaster that should have resulted in jail time for those responsible, but instead, it has become a stage for political grandstanding.
In a country where the lives of the people are valued less than the pursuit of power, one is left to wonder: when the people die, who will the politicians rule?