Written By | Joshua Nahamya
Covered bodies of young men excavated from the mining site
Search
BUSHENYI
A somber mood and deep grief have gripped the residents of Bushenyi District following a tragic gold mining accident that claimed the lives of five people on Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred in Kayanga Village, Kyamuhunga Sub-county, a site frequently visited by local youths seeking to earn a living through small-scale gold mining. According to Apollo Tayebwa, the Greater Bushenyi Police spokesperson, the collapse trapped the miners deep underground, prompting an immediate rescue and recovery operation.
Somber mood as people look at the unfortunate incident at Kayanga Kyamuhunga mining site
By Tuesday night, authorities confirmed that the bodies of four victims had been excavated, while police and locals continued to search for the fifth body. “Of course, we have cordoned off the area and police are working tooth and nail to ensure we don’t register any further deaths in the area,” Tayebwa reported. “At this time, I can confirm that we haven’t confirmed the particulars of the deceased, although the postmortem stage is to follow before handing over the bodies to their relatives.”
The tragedy has drawn reactions from across the district’s political and social leadership. Prosper Twebaze, the Bushenyi District Chairperson-elect, described the loss of the young men as a devastating blow to the community. “It’s a tragic moment that we have lost our people who were working tirelessly to earn a living. My heartfelt sympathies go to the bereaved families and may their souls rest in perfect peace,” Twebaze said.
Locals trying to remove stuck bodies in the mad
Reflecting on his interactions with the victims, Twebaze noted that he had encountered the group during his recent campaign trail. “These very people were seen when we were canvassing for support; I met them at their mine in Kayanga, Kyamuhunga,” he remembered.
While the exact cause of the collapse remains under investigation, the incident follows a string of mining-related fatalities in the neighboring Buhweju District, which is a hub for gold mining in Western Uganda. This latest tragedy also comes on the heels of another freak accident in Buhweju, where a couple was killed in their sleep by rolling stones triggered by earth tremors.
The unfortunate incident where 4 bodies were recovered from the mining site in Bushenyi
By press time, police and district authorities had not yet released the names of the deceased as they waited to notify the next of kin. This marks the second major mining-related disaster in the region this month, raising fresh concerns over the safety of artisanal mining sites in the area.
Torch Media Africa
