Mpigi bans sand mining in Kituntu over road damage, residents’ complaints

What the report says

Mpigi District has suspended sand mining in Kituntu Sub-county and blocked roads used by heavy sand trucks, following complaints from residents about damaged roads, dust and unsafe driving. According to Nile Post, the district’s action was announced by Chairperson Simon Peter Kawuki after locals said constant truck traffic had left roads in poor condition and made daily life difficult in nearby homes and businesses.

Residents in Kituntu and at Bukasa Trading Centre said the trucks were producing heavy dust, affecting clothes, food, visibility and, in some cases, people’s breathing. They also accused some drivers of reckless behavior and said livestock and schoolchildren had been hit on the roads. Some residents staged a protest by placing chairs and a tent across a road to block the vehicles and press for repairs.

Kawuki said sand miners had been extracting resources from the area without contributing enough to road maintenance or local revenue. He ordered immediate closure of roads used by the trucks and said mining would not resume until operators met district officials and agreed on operating conditions, including taxes and road upkeep. The district said the quarry area, Kituntu, generates relatively little tax revenue compared with other sub-counties, despite the mining activity.

The dispute highlights a broader issue often seen around extractive industries in Uganda: balancing local economic activity with road safety, environmental impacts and community benefit. In this case, district leaders and residents are pressing miners to repair damage before operations continue.