news 19 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Tragic Quarry Collapse in Mityana Claims Lives of Two Young Schoolgirls
Two schoolgirls, aged six and eight, died after being buried under debris in a stone quarry in Minana Village, Mityana District, while assisting their grandmother. A young boy was rescued and hospitalized, but locals criticized delayed official response efforts. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/two-school-girls-die-in-mityana-stone-quarry-collapse-5396886
A devastating incident occurred at a stone quarry in Minana Village, Mityana District, where rescuers recovered the bodies of two young girls trapped under heavy rubble on Wednesday evening.
The victims, Florence Nakyejwe, 6, a kindergarten pupil at Luswa Primary School, and Dorcus Muwanguzi, 8, a pupil at Mifik Primary School, had entered the site around 6pm to help their grandmother collect stones.
Local resident Sam Kisekka reported that a team of community rescuers worked through the night, successfully saving a six-year-old boy who was rushed to Mityana General Hospital. However, the girls could not be saved despite the efforts.
Kisekka expressed frustration over the Directorate of Fire Prevention and Rescue Services’ late arrival without proper equipment, noting that the operation was largely handled by villagers.
Wamala Regional Police Spokesperson Lameck Kigozi stated he lacked details as detectives had not yet briefed him.
Stone quarrying, though legally permitted, often operates informally in the area, drawing in schoolchildren and dropouts who assist family members for daily wages, amid concerns over environmental damage.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)