By KT Reporter
The residents of Nakatunya ward in Soroti City are living with an unbearable reality, a stench that seeps into their homes, an odor they say comes from the decaying bodies left unattended at the local mortuary.
For years, the facility has stood as a grim reminder of neglect, and now the community is speaking out, demanding urgent intervention.
The Soroti City mortuary, established over 30 years ago, was once a functional government facility meant to provide dignified care for the deceased.
Today, it is a crumbling structure, with broken glass windows, damaged doors, overgrown vegetation, and no refrigeration to preserve bodies.
It has become a dumping ground for accident victims, casualties of mob justice, and bodies from Soroti Regional Referral Hospital.
For residents like Richard Eriau, the situation is unbearable. “Whenever a body is brought to the mortuary, it remains unattended, causing the odor to permeate the homes of those living adjacent to the facility,” he says.
He points out that while there is land available for expansion, the mortuary urgently needs upgrades to cope with a growing population. The smell, residents claim, is so overpowering that it affects daily life.
“I have been in homes nearby, and the stench is too strong. You cannot even prepare food without gagging. No attendant, no nothing,” Eriau adds.
Beatrice Agabo echoes the concern. She stresses that the mortuary should be better maintained, with attendants ensuring bodies are preserved in fridges to prevent the foul smell from affecting the surrounding neighborhood.
Betty Akello emphasizes that the mortuary serves all of Soroti District and City. She describes how the bodies of accident victims are often simply thrown onto the floor, leaving families to find them in disarray. “I want I tell you, when those bodies decay, you cannot even manage to eat food because the whole home will be covered with bad odor,” she laments.
Even local leaders are frustrated. Levi Ogwadulai, the LC1 Chairperson of Nakatunya ward, criticizes the city health department for turning a blind eye.
“This mortuary is supposed to keep the dead bodies brought in from within and distant places before their relatives arrive,” he says. “But most times, the bodies are just dropped on the floor without any care, leading to decay and an unbearable odor that affects the entire community.”
He adds that the mortuary’s surroundings are bushy and unkempt, with bodies sometimes left exposed for more than two weeks. Ogwadulai calls on the government to act swiftly, noting that there is ample land available but a dire need for proper infrastructure and refrigeration.
Attempts to get comments from Soroti City Health Officer Dr. Alfred Anyonga were met with indifference. When approached by URN, he refused to engage, stating it was “not his problem.
” Even when pressed further, he insisted the situation did not concern him, despite public health being his mandate.
The Soroti City mortuary, once a facility meant to provide free services for handling the deceased, now stands as a public health hazard.
For the residents of Nakatunya and surrounding areas, the smell of decay is more than just unpleasant; it is a daily reminder of neglect and a growing need for urgent government action.
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