KCCA evades responsibility in Kiteezi tragedy

With over 30 bodies pulled from the rubble of the landfill which collapsed last Saturday, both the political and technical wings of the Authority are adamant that they are not responsible.

Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago says only individuals under whose mandate the landfill directly falls must be held accountable.

“I cannot take individual responsibility and neither can my (committee) members,” stated the Lord Mayor.

“We are not going to be charged all at once, because some of us are innocent and have always warned about a looming disaster but nothing was done.”

Read: Jennifer Musisi resurfaces in Kiteezi tragedy discourse

The Kiteezi landfill collapsed on Sat August 10th pulse uganda

On his part, the KCCA Deputy Executive Director David Luyimbazi said the Authority couldn't get blamed when it has for years been starved of resources for essential services including garbage collection and management.

“ I don’t think anyone here was negligent because we all work in tough conditions,” he said.

“We don't have enough resources and if I don't have the tools I need or the money, some things are bound to go wrong.”

On Wednesday, the political and technical wings had an emergency meeting to get to the button of who should be held accountable for the Kiteezi incident.

The closed-door meeting, however, was fruitless because some officials did not attend, including Director of Public Health and Environment, Daniel Okello.

Last month, Mr Okello wrote to the ED warning her of the “several operational challenges at Kiteezi caused by its continued use beyond capacity."

The Kiteezi is allocated Shs 4 billion annually. But according to Mr Luyimbazi, this money is barely enough to hire the two bulldozers, fuel them and pay the workers in a year.