12-Year-Old Girl Drowns in Water-Filled Quarry Pit in Mukono

What the report says

A 12-year-old girl has died after drowning in a water-filled quarry excavation in Kiwugo Village, Nakisunga Sub-county, Mukono District, according to Nile Post. The child, identified as Joyce Nantongo, was a Primary Five pupil at Nangwa Nursery Primary School. Residents said she was chasing a goat when she slipped and fell into the pit, which they say is linked to nearby quarry activity.

The incident has intensified concerns in the community about open pits, standing water and other hazards around the quarry site. Residents, including people living near the area, said they have long complained about unprotected excavations and asked that dangerous pits be filled or secured. They also raised separate worries about cracks in homes, soil piles and flooding they attribute to the quarry operations. The report says the quarry is associated with GLA Limited, though those allegations were not independently verified in the article.

Police confirmed the death and said an investigation had been opened. Deputy Police Spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Region Luke Owoyesigyire urged parents and guardians to watch children closely around excavations and open pits, and encouraged basic first-aid knowledge in communities. The article also noted that efforts to get a response from the company were unsuccessful.

The death comes against a broader public-health backdrop: drowning remains a major risk for children in low- and middle-income countries, and the report cited World Health Organization figures showing the issue is significant in Uganda as well. Residents are now calling for stronger oversight of quarry operations and faster action on safety complaints to prevent similar tragedies.