“Safety remains the highest priority. No amount of gold or other mineral output is worth the loss of life. We appeal to all mining communities to enforce safety protocols and ensure every worker returns home safely each day”, Lokona urged the local miners.
By Simon Lomonyanga Adigili
Artisanal miners in Kaabong District have been urged to exercise extreme caution and prioritise safety in their operations amid risks of flooding and shaft collapse associated with the rainy season.
The warning follows an incident that claimed three lives and left one seriously injured after a gold pit caved in, in Sodoku village, Kaabong East Sub-county on Sunday, raising concerns over ungazetted goldmines.
John Bosco Lokol, LC3 Chairperson of Kaabong East Sub-County said the pit collapsed suddenly at around 7:30 a.m, trapping four miners beneath unstable soil.
He identified the deceased as Lopeyok Modo of Lomonye village, Naudu Lopeyok and Lokonoi Lokudongiro all residents of Sokodu village.
According to Lokol, Michael Lochola, a resident of Sokodu village and survivor of the tragic incident, is currently receiving treatment at Kaabong General Hospital.
The deceased according to Lokol were on Sunday, March 22 2026, handled over to relatives for burial.
He added that despite repeated sensitization meetings, miners continue to ignore safety precautions due to hunger and poverty.
Eric Donald Lokona, the Community Liaison Officer for Kaabong described the scene as distressing, noting that police worked alongside local responders to retrieve the trapped miners.
He said preliminary investigations suggest that the heavy rainfall that has been pounding the area may have weakened the soil structure, contributing to the collapse.
Corporal Lokona called on communities to prioritize safety noting that the onset of rains significantly increases the risk of fatal incidents in mining areas.
“As the rainy season begins, Lokona urged artisanal miners across the Kaabong District to exercise extreme caution and prioritise safety in their operations,”
He explained that heavy downpours weaken ground structures, flood underground shafts, cause slope failures, and can result in sudden mine collapses.
“Safety remains the highest priority. No amount of gold or other mineral output is worth the loss of life. We appeal to all mining communities to enforce safety protocols and ensure every worker returns home safely each day”, Lokona urged the local miners.
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