Africa-Press – Uganda. A 47-year-old woman was Tuesday morning buried alive after a quarry collapsed in Budaka District.
The deceased, Rema Kataike, was a resident of Bukelewu village, Kositi parish, Iki-Iki County in Budaka District.
Locals say “Kataike had gone with her two daughters to dig up murram for commercial purposes when the quarry curved in and soils mixed with stones buried her.”
Eyewitness and area LC1 Chairperson Moses Mugwere told Monitor that the victim’s daughters Shadiya Nakudo and another only identified as Loy escaped unhurt from the quarry owned by their father, businessman Mohammad Zawe.
Rescue efforts by locals armed with hoes were futile despite a relatively quick response to the girls’ alarm for help.
Mr Sam Maulo, the Kadimukoli LC3 chairperson said: “Prior to her death, it was alleged that the girls had alerted their mother that there was signs of caving in.”
A truck of murram is sold for Shs10, 000-20,000 in Budaka District.
“The current high levels of hard-hitting poverty force people to engage in activities that risks their lives,” resident Faizal Jorem Nduga observed.
According to family, the deceased is survived by seven children, including five boys.
The north Bukedi regional police spokesperson, ASP Immaculate Alaso confirmed the incident adding that “investigations are underway.”
“The deceased could have entered the murram quarry as usual before the loose soils collapsed and buried her alive and died,”ASP Alaso said.
She added: “Police is responding at the scene and has started taking statements from the locals about the incident.”
By press time on Tuesday, Kataike’s body had been conveyed to a mortuary for postmortem.
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