Former top officials of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) including Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka, Deputy Executive Director Engineer David Luyimbazi, and Director of Public Health Dr. Daniel Okello, have been detained following the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) summons.
The arrests come after a damning report by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) revealed their failure to prevent the Kiteezi landfill disaster, which claimed over 30 lives and displaced many.
The high-profile arrests underscore President Yoweri Museveni’s swift response to the Kiteezi landfill disaster, which has sparked national outrage over the deaths of women and children.
The tragedy, which occurred due to severe oversight at the landfill, has not only raised questions about KCCA’s leadership but also prompted a broader inquiry into the management of essential urban services in Kampala.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke confirmed that the trio were taken into custody at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Kibuli. According to Rusoke, the charges are based on findings from the IGG’s report, which pointed to gross negligence by the officials in ensuring proper waste management and safety standards at Kiteezi, Kampala’s primary landfill.
“The CID investigation revealed glaring lapses in management that contributed to the collapse of the landfill, leading to loss of life and property. The suspects will soon be arraigned in court to face charges,” Rusoke stated.
The disaster, which unfolded when a section of the landfill collapsed, claimed the lives of more than 30 residents, mostly women and children. It also destroyed homes, leaving many families homeless. In response to the tragedy, President Museveni ordered the immediate dismissal of the KCCA executives and launched a criminal investigation.
The IGG’s report was explicit in attributing the disaster to the failure of KCCA officials to enforce proper environmental and safety measures at the site. The report stated that the Kiteezi landfill had been operating well beyond its capacity, with waste piling up uncontrollably, and that the officials neglected to address the growing risk of a collapse despite several warnings from environmental experts.
The arrests have sparked debate among Kampala residents and urban policy experts, who see the move as part of a wider crackdown on inefficiency and corruption within city governance. Many are calling for more stringent oversight of public projects and essential services, fearing that similar disasters could occur if systemic issues are not addressed.
As the accused await their day in court, the government has vowed to take further measures to prevent such tragedies, promising reforms aimed at improving the management of urban infrastructure and environmental safety.
The Kiteezi landfill disaster, and the ensuing arrests, have become a watershed moment for accountability in Kampala’s governance, marking the beginning of what many hope will be a new era of transparency and responsibility.
