Residents have recovered the remains of 16-year-old Sam Wayanga, one of the Sironko mudslide victims more than a month after the incident. Residents recovered Wayanga's decomposing body from the scene of the mudslides on Monday.
Wayanga is a former primary five pupil of Bufupa primary school in Bufupa parish in Masaba Sub County in Sironko district. His father, Peter Nangoli told URN that they have been searching for his son's remains since they were buried by the mudslides in August this year.
"I thank God we have finally recovered the body of my son and given him a decent burial," he said. The deceased's remains were buried at his father's home in Lusave village in Bufupa parish on Monday evening. The recovery of Wayanga's body brings to two, the number of bodies recovered from the mudslides site.
At least nine people were reported missing following the mudslides, which claimed one person and displaced hundreds of others. The body of Namono, also a pupil at Bufupa primary school was recovered on September 18th, 2017. Eunice Nandudu Maku, the Masaba Sub County Female Councilor, says Wamanga's body was recovered with the help of dogs, which led them to where it was found.
She says residents dug through the rubble with machetes and hoes to retrieve the body. "The mudslide scene is too smelly, Residents found dog eating Wayanga's remains," she said. Nandudu expressed disappointment that Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA withdrew the excavator that was deployed to retrieve the remains of the mudslide victims.
Alex Bunga, the Masaba Sub county LC V councilor wants government to resume the search for the remains of the other missing persons. Bunga says there is high hope of recovering the remains of the other mudslide victims but they lack the necessary tools.
He says residents have been trying to retrieve one of the bodies, which is trapped in the rubble since last month in vain because they are using rudimentary tools. Bunga is disappointed that government abandoned the mudslide victims and left them on their own to search for their missing relatives.
Joshua Namuuni, the Salanje Village LC I Chairperson, says they are trying within their limited means to find the bodies of the remaining missing persons. Herbert Mulekwa, the Sironko LC V chairman, says they need excavators to search for the missing persons because the mudslide scene is full of rocks.
-URN