Uganda church collapse death toll at 23
Uganda’s state minister for health today said the government had launched a criminal investigation into a church collapse that left 23 people dead and 96 injured.
Jim Muhwezi said if poor construction was responsible for the Kampala collapse, the builders would be prosecuted.
“I want to assure the public we will leave no stone unturned to establish the cause of the collapse of the building,” he said.
“If there was any wrongdoing, the long arm of the law will catch up with them.”
Divisional police commander Mbamanya Lauben said the death toll from the collapse had been reduced to 23 after officials discovered they had counted some bodies twice.
A brick wall at the partly-constructed church collapsed last night onto the congregation during a rain storm in the Ugandan capital.
Officials said 96 people required treatment at Kampala’s Mulago Hospital.
The hospital trauma room has only 20 beds, and most of the injured lay moaning on the floor last night and screaming for their families.
