Deadly Gold Rush in Namayingo Claims Four Lives Monthly Amid Unsafe Pits

A chaotic gold rush in Namayingo District has turned fatal, claiming roughly four lives each month as miners dig deep, unstable pits without safety gear or oversight. District leaders blame crude methods, sudden site shifts, and poor enforcement for the tragedies.

Namayingo Assistant Town Clerk Abdulha Kauta Twaha described the sector as unpredictable, with hotspots like Sigulu Islands popping up overnight. Miners carve tunnels up to 300 meters deep, relying on fragile soil pillars that collapse when disturbed, especially during rains. Many deaths go unreported to avoid legal trouble, and migrant workers’ bodies often surface days later.

Children are increasingly involved due to poverty, facing risks like drowning in waterlogged abandoned pits. Investors reap big profits, while locals earn as little as Shs 10,000 nightly for backbreaking work. Former fishing livelihoods have crumbled, pushing families underground.

Natural Resources Officer Alex Busagwa noted most operations are informal artisanal mining, causing wetland destruction and pollution from toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide. Enforcement lags due to limited resources and central licensing that bypasses local control.

Miners Association head Julius Katusiime pointed to corruption and absent safety standards fueling accidents, though recent interventions have slightly curbed deaths. Veteran miner Allan Derick Ojambo shared surviving collapses by using oxygen and logs, but trauma lingers amid colleagues’ losses.

Police spokesperson Michael Kasadha reported three deaths this year from electrocution, suffocation, and collapses, disputing higher estimates but confirming underreporting. Officers are closing unsafe sites, making arrests, and running awareness campaigns.

Stakeholders demand local licensing input, rescue teams, and alternative jobs to stem the bloodshed.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)