Congo Wives Scare Katakwi

Jul 23, 2001

CONGOLESE women have "invaded" Katakwi town causing fear among local women who accuse them of possessing juju (charms) to bewitch men.

CONGOLESE women have "invaded" Katakwi town causing fear among local women who accuse them of possessing juju (charms) to bewitch men. An estimated 60 elegantly dressed women speaking Lingala arrived in the town recently in pursuit of their soldier husbands, report Emmy Allio and Emmanuel Akelem. "These Congolese ladies have powerful juju with which they practise witchcraft to either attract other men or cripple the Teso women who harass them over their husbands," one woman said. Some Katakwi residents are also complaining that the Congolese women do not want to follow the queues at boreholes. "They take their water containers to the front setting off fierce quarrels and fist fights. "During such fights these women partially undress themselves to expose their private parts," a Katakwi resident said. Katakwi Resident District Commissioner David Masereka has appealed to Katakwi people to "treat them like people." The women are part of the hundreds of others who followed Ugandan soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The 5th battalion in Katakwi is one of five deployed in the region to disarm the Karimojong. The battalions were withdrawn from Congo in August, two months after they fought in the Kisangani III clashes against Rwanda. Col. Sula Semakula who commands the army in Karamoja region, said the Congolese women were wives of soldiers and not prostitutes and should cause no alarm. "These women travelled from Kakiri barracks near Kampala to get financial assistance from their husbands. As soon as the soldiers are paid, the women will return to Kakiri," he said. Sula said the Katakwi women felt threatened "because of the proud and pretentious behaviour of the Congolese women. A typical Congolese girl likes to show off and can pretend to be rich even when she has no money." Anselm Ariko, an LC5 councillor for Katakwi town council, on Tuesday told councillors that those who brought in the Congolese women should relocate them. Ariko said the town should not be a dumping ground for rejects. Some residents said the Congolese women were a nuisance and a threat because they had abandoned their babies and resorted to prostitution. Ends

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