Lynched Ugandan traditional leader leaves behind 54 widows, 187 children

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed legislators from Karamoja to join the security team in searching for the people involved in lynching a famous community leader.

It comes after unknown people lynched Mariko Abura Apanaluk, a renowned Karimojong elder and kraal leader, together with his son, Lokut Angolere at Nabwal sub county in Napak district.

The same mob killed a Local Defense Unit (LDU) personnel attached to Duol army detach only identified as Alengia.

The trio was trucking 20 stolen cattle belonging to Apanaluk and was mistaken for cattle thieves and killed by an angry mob. Apanaluk is survived by 54 widows, 187 children, 116 grandchildren and more than 2,000 herds of cattle.

The incident has created a rift between the Bokora (people of Napak district) and the Pian (people of Nabilatuk and Nakapiripirit) as the former want to revenge the killing of their elder and son.

The police and army had to deploy heavily to quell tensions. Karimojong MPs have been meeting sections of residents and local leaders alongside security agencies to pacify the warring communities.

In one of the meetings held at Napak district headquarters recently, the Pian MP, Remigio Achia revealed to his colleagues that President Museveni was not happy with the insecurity in Karamoja.

Achia who is the interim chairperson of Karamoja Parliamentary Group (KPG), said the president had asked the MPs to help security agencies bring to book the killers of Apanaluk and others.

The president’s directive follows allegations that some leaders are inciting locals against each other after the killings. Moses Kigai Wamoto, the Napak RDC observed that it was regrettable to find some leaders taking sides instead of fighting for justice for the victims.

The 3rd Division commander Brig Joseph Balikudembe said they have arrested several people including one woman who participated in Apanaluk’s killing.

According to the LC 5 of Napak, John Paul Kodet, his district has lost 1,229 heads of cattle and more than 100 goats from February to May, but only 75 cows have been recovered. In the process, armed warriors killed six people including a woman.

His Katakwi counterpart, Geoffrey Omolo, also reported that they have lost more than 500 cattle to the Karimojong since January this year from the sub-counties of Magoro, Palam, Ngariam, Okulonyo, Guyaguya and parts of Ongongoja.