Survivors of the catastrophic fire that ravaged Sunshine Hotel on Rashid Khamis Road have recounted their terrifying escapes, with many attributing their survival to the quick actions of bystanders.
Monica Njambi Njugo, a Kenyan national who had just arrived at the hotel with her husband, was among those forced to jump from the fourth floor to escape the flames.
She recalled detecting a burning smell before realizing the entire floor was engulfed in thick smoke. “When we were in the room, we just smelled something burning—that’s what alerted us,” she said.
With no other option, Njambi jumped after being reassured by onlookers below that mattresses had been placed on the ground to cushion her fall. “There was no one to save us because we were on the fourth floor. People saw that we wanted to jump and they brought mattresses and laid them down, after which I jumped,” she shared.
Her husband, who had been in the shower when the fire started, was also seen in bystander footage attempting to flee the flames.
Njambi survived but sustained a broken ankle and was seen limping away from the scene.
Local leaders reported that the fire spread quickly due to the hotel’s design. Samuel Omara, the LC1 chairperson, pointed out that the carpeted staircase allowed the flames to rapidly spread to the upper floors. “With just one exit, it was difficult for people to get out. Maybe if the building had another exit leading to the top, people would have gathered there, making it easier for the rescue team to find them,” Omara explained.
Sunshine Hotel, a 30-room establishment located near Namayiba Bus Terminal in Old Kampala, is popular among travelers from Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo due to its convenient location near transport hubs.
Reports suggest that the hotel’s basement housed several businesses, including a soap-making operation that used flammable materials. Authorities suspect that an accidental mixture of these substances may have sparked the fire.
The incident has renewed calls for stricter fire safety measures in Kampala, as many buildings in the city lack essential fire prevention infrastructure.
