Agony at NSSF victims funeral

Oct 16, 2008

WAILING and incomprehension filled the air as relatives viewed the bodies of the Roko construction workers who were crushed to death when the excavated wall of an NSSF building in Kampala collapsed on Tuesday.

By Chris Kiwawulo & Herbert Ssempogo

WAILING and incomprehension filled the air as relatives viewed the bodies of the Roko construction workers who were crushed to death when the excavated wall of an NSSF building in Kampala collapsed on Tuesday.

Women wept uncontrollably in front of the coffins at the company headquarters in Kawempe. Roko’s company secretary, Acall Manzi, described the incident as the biggest tragedy the company had experienced since its foundation in 1969. “At all sites we have worked on, we have had injuries but never any fatalities,” he said.

Manzi assured the bereaved families that they would be compensated since the company had an insurance cover for the project. He said Roko would pay for the burial expenses.

The company secretary clarified that seven people died, and not eight as had been reported by the Police earlier. He said two people were still admitted in Nsambya Hospital.

He identified the deceased as Santos Odongo from Oyam district, Willie Okello from Amolatar, Julius Otike from Soroti and Richard Ongwen alias Ssebaana from Gulu.

The other dead are Silver Olowo from Tororo, John Bosco Tumushabe from Bushenyi and Naisubo Kisembo from Kabarole.

Apart from Tumushabe and Kisembo who were porters, the rest were carpenters. Yahaya Nsimbe and Peter Otto survived with severe injuries and are admitted in Nsambya.

The doors of the single-room houses of Ongwen and Otike, two of the workers, in Kisowera zone, Kawempe division, remained locked yesterday. The neighbours described the two as lively young bachelors.

“Unlike other young people who resort to stealing to earn a living, these boys were hard working,” said Maama Bongereire.

“They would wake up at 5:00am to go to work and come back at night. For all the time they lived here, I have never heard any scandal about them.”

Benson, another worker, said he was lucky. He did not go to work that day because of sickness. “They were very friendly people,” he said of Otike and Ongwen. “I have lost great friends.”

Okello, another victim, who lived in Nkere zone in Kazo-Angola, is survived by three children and a wife. “He left behind a wife who is helpless. She is young and an orphan,” said a neighbour.

The late Odongo, who resided in Kiganda zone, Kawempe division, was a humorous young man, neighbours said.

“He was talkative and had a hoarse voice like that of former Kampala mayor Ssebaana Kizito. That is why he was popularly known as Ssebaana,” said Rose Akullo.

The National Organisation of Trade Unions attacked Roko for denying workers the right to form a trade union. The chairman, David Nkojjo, proposed that the company be denied more contracts as long as a trade union is not in place.

Total silence hung over the ill-fated site yesterday. The Police deployed eight men at the scene, now surrounded by iron sheets. Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said this was to ensure that evidence was not tampered with and to avoid more accidents.

The Police have set up a team to probe the incident, which has already collected soil samples for further investigation. The Police team, led by homicide boss Paul Kato, will be joined by officials from the works ministry and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, Nabakooba added.

Olive Lumonya of NSSF said all works have been suspended until additional emergency safety measures are put in place.

She said the NSSF Board and management were shocked by the tragedy and have asked the Ministry of Works to conduct an independent investigation into the causes of the accident.

They want all NSSF stakeholders get a “formal report from a source that is objective, professional and credible,” Lumonya said in a statement.

The works ministry is to form a probe committee to look into the matter, spokesperson Suzan Kataike said. “The team will complete its work within a month,” she said.

(Additional reporting by Mary Karugaba)

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