Students affected by stone blasting to be compensated

STUDENTS|STONE QUARRYING|COMPENSATION

MPIGI - Kaki Developers, a mining company with a quarry in Mabuye, Mpigi district, has agreed to compensate victims that were affected by stone blasting last Friday.

The incident left at least 13 school children unconscious and hospitalised and many structures damaged.

Herbert Lubega, the director of the company, said they are ready to compensate all residents who were affected during stone blasting activities the company has been carrying out in the quarry.

"We apologise to the community for the inconveniences and damages to their property and life. We will also meet medical bills for the students who were hospitalised as a result of stone blasting," he said.

Lubega was addressing a meeting organised by the Mpigi Resident District Commissioner, Rosemary Byabashaija, at Kiringente subcounty headquarters.

Members of the community faulted the company for not notifying them in time whenever they are going to blast stones.

Yusuf Lusiba, the director of Lumuza High School, said the stone blasting left at least 13 female students hospitalised, after suffering from shock.

The affected students are all candidates in Senior Four and Six.

The incident took place at around 2:30pm, hours after the local village leaders had put announcements ona local radio station warning the residents near the quarry to move at least 4km away from the quarry.

The stone quarry is located a few metres away from the school. The quarry is a source of hardcore stones being used in the construction of the Busega-Mpigi express highway.

The school director of studies, Muzafaru Wamala, said they had to rush the affected students to Rubaga Hospital, St Monica Health Centre and Mpigi Health Centre IV.

"Immediately they started stone blasting, female students lost their consciousness and started falling down one by one. Three students were referred to Rubaga Hospital in critical condition," Wamala said.

Some of the affected students were identified as Priscilla Namutebi, Senior Four, Edith Nambi, Senior Six, Hasifah Nangoobi, Senior Six and Joan Nansamba of Senior Four.

Edith Nambi, a Senior Four student who was rushed to St Monica Health Centre, said she woke up only to find herself in hospital.

The meeting was also attended by the officials from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), China Civil Engineering Construction Company Limited, a company contracted to work on the Busega-Mpigi express highway and community members.

John Kayanja, a resident of Mabuye village, said his house has developed cracks and his only cow also died following the stone blasting.

Lawrence Sseruwagi, the Luvumbula village chairperson, said he had received many reports of residents whose houses either developed cracks or got damaged as a result of stone blasting.

Allan Ssempeebwa, the head of communication at UNRA, said they have put in place measures for the company to meet residents before carrying out any stone blasting.