Two children have died, and their mother is fighting for her life after a gold mining pit collapsed on them in Moroto District, highlighting the growing human cost of hunger-driven mining in the Karamoja sub-region. The victims, identified as three-year-old Calvin Amuria and one-and-a-half-year-old Joan Nakiru, were buried under falling rocks alongside their mother, 23-year-old Keregai Keem, while at a gold mining site in Lokapirio Village, Rupa Sub-county, over the weekend.
According to Mt. Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson Mike Longole, the pit caved in at around 2:00 p.m., killing the two children instantly. Their mother survived with serious injuries and was rushed to Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, where she is receiving treatment. “A team led by ASP Alfred Olila, the Officer in-Charge of Moroto Central Police Station, visited the scene and documented it for investigation purposes,” Longole said.
Police have opened investigations into a case of rashness and negligence leading to the deaths, while efforts are underway to retrieve the bodies for postmortem examinations. Longole urged families to keep children away from dangerous mining sites. “We warn members of the public against mining in unsafe pits and leaving children at dangerous work sites. Parents and guardians are urged to prioritize the safety of children,” he said.
The latest tragedy brings to five the number of people killed in mining pit collapses in Karamoja since the beginning of the year. The deaths come amid worsening food insecurity that has forced many families in Moroto to abandon farming and seek casual work in gold mines and stone quarries after widespread crop failure. Local authorities say many households now leave only elderly people and persons with disabilities at home as other family members search for food and income at mining sites.
The crisis has also forced many children out of school to work alongside their parents, raising concerns about both their safety and the future of education in the region. Officials have warned that unless the government takes stronger measures to address hunger in Karamoja, the region could face increasing hunger-related deaths and a deeper education crisis.In response to the food shortages, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja on Monday flagged off 200,000 kilograms of maize flour and 100,000 kilograms of beans for distribution to vulnerable households across the Karamoja sub-region-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
