COMMENT | Samson Tinka | By Monday morning of 12th Aug 2024, 22 people were confirmed to have died after the Kitezi garbage disaster. Information from the Kiteezi community shows that there is a good number still unaccounted for persons. Yet, as way back as 10 years ago, there were pointers that this Kiteezi garbage site was not only full but had become unsafe, unhealthy to the surrounding communities. This hilly area had started developing cracks, a sign that it would give way.
The site managers-KCCA knew of this crisis but as it always the case it remained business as usual until lives and property were destroyed. Disasters are un-avoidable, but Kitezi mayhem could have been stopped. In our homes, work places and government entities. a safety culture is wanting. From schools, churches, homes, factories, offices, warehouses, markets etc, there is no semblance of safety measures.
Risk management appetite
A disaster like this cannot happen if KCCA has a unit in charge of risk management. Kiteezi has been in the deep red code for long. When monitoring a risk and it crosses into deep red, that risk must be dealt with immediately. Of course the usual scapegoat is lack of funds. This is understandable but at what cost? Why should KCCA avail resources to work on Mulago roundabout but fail to raise a few billion shillings to deal with a safety and health issue? Any thing that harms safety or security of the population must be dealt with and immediately. Kitezi matter should have been very urgent even if it required supplementary budget.
Safety culture in Uganda.
I have written this before, and I will continue to add a voice that the safety culture in Uganda is so bad. Its possible for a developer to put up a 10bn shillings infrastructure without minding on safety or providing fire systems, drainage, yet these are the basis for any plan to be approved. The architect will ignore the required system, even when included, the engineer on site will be asked by the developer to ignore until the site is complete and handed over to the owner. KCCA which is mandated to issue occupancy permit, will go on and issue one without these critical safety systems in place.
Few arcades in Kampala have accessible fire hydrants or safety notices, emergency exit routes, trained fire marshals and first aiders etc. Any un-safe practice is detrimental to the both person and the infrastructure. I remember not long ago, some KCCA water hydrants that Uganda police is meant to use were tested and found dry. This basic but very important asset should be ready for use at all times. How can have 100 gas stations in Kampala without working water hydrants? The possibility of fire outbreak is ever present.
Emergency response.
Emergency response timelines are an indicator of our inhouse planning, and general leadership. Smart emergency response plans saves lives, properties and it’s a pointer of stellar leadership. Delayed emergence responses causes anger, invites for rudimentary response and in most times causes more danger than it ought to solve. The Kitezi population were more angered by delayed and later slow response than the incident itself. Incident response and management is very critical to the overall incident handling including dissemination of information. It was in the news that one officer hitherto mandated to speak on behalf of the KCCA institution stopped people from giving information including signing witness statement. Ideally, an officer from KCCA should have been permanently positioned at the rescue command Centre to specifically give information to the public through all media channels including social media. The absence of this person opens a window for false information.
Basic necessities
An affected community requires basic needs, and an overall plan for such emergencies should be in place either by KCCA or the Ministry of Disaster preparedness. I expect NWSC for example to have connected ten water points where mega tent has been constructed, positioned temporary toilets, Prime ministers office offered basic beddings, dry and wet food offered including cooks. The UPDF can coordinate these activities because they have bigger sauce pans and metallic plates that can not be stolen or damaged. I expect a mobile health unit to be put in place consisting of Doctors, Nurses and other medical personnel on 24 hrs shift basis. These interventions are demonstration of a working emergency response plan by government.
Business continuity plan activation.
Whereas Kiteezi is now a crime scene, Kampala dwellers and business, community continues to produce garbage that must be taken away without interruption. Any uncollected garbage is a risk that can result into many diseases including cholera. When roads were impassable and garbage trucks could not access Kiteezi for some days, Kampala became a garbage city. There is still a lot of vacant lands on Kapeka road, Busunju road, etc.
Consequence management is important
Who will be held liable for the death? There will be noise made between now and a few weeks to follow and there after, it will be normal. Someone or some KCCA officers should be held accountable for this loss. I hope IGG will crack the whip. In the UPDF Act of 1995 for example, there is an article that says if ones action leads to failure of an operation or death of soldiers, he or she faces a penalty of death. We need to see tables being banged, interdiction letters signed, offices vacated and leadership change at City Hall.
Previous KCCA mishandled projects.
Chronic potholes that have to be repaired at least thrice a year is a sign of the malaise at City Hall. Potholes at Total Petrol station Katwe, Total head office Namuwongo Road, Potholes at Kubiri opposite Hass petro station, a pothole before Ndere troupe Ntiinda etc. One wonders why spend some huge amounts of money on similar problem in and out. Aggregating the total amounts of money spent on these potholes and others in a year may equal to money that can construct a 1km of new road or more.
Very fast to arrest vendors, house developers, yet….
Try to pour a lorry of sand and hard-core stones in preparation to put up a structure. In less than a day, a pick up with well-armed enforcement officers will be on your site asking a million questions. If the developer parts with some shillings, they will close their eyes and the developer will continue with construction activities. Why can’t the public see the same speed and accuracy while dealing with serious public matters?
A peaceful country like Uganda should not lose people and property in such way. It will be difficult to convice the public and most especially the families that lost their beloved ones. Politically, this can cost thousands of votes come 2026 elections.
Government must crack the whip. The communities and relatives that lost people and properties need to see this happening. To those that lost their beloved ones and property, we are with you in pain.
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Samson Tinka is a safety and security expert | tindsam@yahoo