Due to the harsh economic conditions in the country that have forced many people into odd jobs, mothers opted to do stone quarrying to make ends meet.
At Bwefulumya Stone Quarry, Nama Sub-county in Mukono District, mothers working in these stone quarry have expressed the pain which they are going through during this lockdown. This is because many opted to do this job with hope that they can earn something to support the family.
Mary Nalugga, 45, from Namawojjolo, narrates that the situation they are going through in this very lockdown is harsh, which has forced mothers and teenage girls to join stone quarrying to earn a living.
“We don’t have any protective gear for our safety and many times some of our workmates end up being caved by the stones or the soil and we never see them again,” she says.
She adds that not only are mothers suffering in this stone quarry but also the teenage girls due to the closure of schools.
Susan Nalika says that many women got involved in stone quarrying after the declaration of first lockdown and its many extensions.
“Many things were put and remained on standstill including schools, road side businesses, bars and night clubs, among others. This forced many teenage girls and mothers into stone quarry for survival,” she says.
Nalika narrates that in the course of their work, they experience difficult situations such as being caved by soil, losing some parts of their bodies like fingers and toes, and that at least 10 people have lost their lives in these stone quarries in the last one year.
Rose Mbabazi, one of the survivors, narrates that they were inside the quarry hitting stones with Viola Nakato, 25, (now deceased), only to hear another colleague raising an alarm as the quarry fell in although it was too late to save Nakato.
“The quarry collapsed with soil and stone raining down on us, instantly killing Nakato while my both legs were severely damaged,” Mbabazi says.
The area Defence Secretary, William Bwire, says that many people flock to the stone quarry daily for employment. He attributed the incidents to the loose soil in some parts of the quarry. He called on authorities to enforce safety measures to avoid more accidents and deaths in future.
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