The Police has released the identication of the two people who were yesterday January 4th buried alive at a sand mine in Kanyamisinga village in Nyakashojwa Parish in Katete Sub-county in Kanungu District.
Kigezi Regional Police Spokesman Elly Maate identified the dead as 30 year old Izobaryomwe Simon, a casual labourer and and 31 year old Mbonigaba Umaru, a driver both residents of Kanyamisinga village in Nyakashojwa in Parish Katete Sub-county in Kanungu District and one survivor, 24 year old Tumwebaze Junior, a casual labourer and resident of the same village.
Maate told journalists that the incient took place yesterday morning when Mbonigaba who happens to be the owner of motor vehicle Registration Number UBQ 884U Tipper Isuzu blue in color and two others went to load sand at the sand quarry located at Kanyamisinga village.
Preliminary reports indicate that, as they were loading sand on the vehicle, a huge quantity of sand curved in and covered the motor vehicle and two persons, but one of them fortunately managed to run away and survived the incident.
The incident was first reported by the In-Charge Katete Police Station Habibu Yasin a resident of Katete Police Barracks in Kanungu District who rushed to the scene after getting information about the incident happened and report was registered at Katete Police Station under reference number SD REF: 07/04/01/2026.
Maate described the incident as a rash and neglect act and said that a team of Police Officers from Kanungu Central Police Station commanded by the District Police Commander Azira Grace responded to the scene of crime on rescue mission and wheel loader H4DF from UPDF Engineering Brigade Kanungu was brought in to support in the excavation of the bodies and the motor vehicle which was covered completely.
Maate explained that by evening of yesterday 4th January 2026 only one body of Mbonigaba Umaru who was among the owners of the sand quarry where the tragedy occurred had been retrieved.
According to the area local leaders, people have mined sand from this sand pit for over 20 years and that so far around 18 people have since perished from this quarry and efforts to have the motor vehicle and the search for the second body retrieved will resumed today morning 5th January 2026 as there is need to add a second Excavator to ease the work.
