Children injured in Kitgum bomb blast

Jun 04, 2020

At least three people, among them two children and their mother are nursing wounds at Kitgum Hospital.

A bomb has exploded at a home and injured three people in Kitgum district, four days after another detonated in Kiwoko, Nakaseke district.

At least three people, among them two children and their mother are nursing wounds at Kitgum Hospital.

Enforcement authorities and experts have cautioned residents to be careful since unexploded Ordnance (UXOs) are still in area (Kitgum) as a result of the 20-year-old Lord Resistance Army (LRA) war against the Government of Uganda.

According to government, LRA is led by Joseph Kony, currently wanted by the International Criminal Court, whose headquarters are in The Netherlands, a country in northwestern Europe.

The victims were identified by Police as; Ivan Mwaka, 5, his three- year-old brother Reagan Omiya and their mother, Christine Akanyo.  All are residents of Bobi .B village, Kitgum.

Preliminary Police findings indicate that the children (Mwaka and Omiya) picked a stick grenade from unknown place and took home and started hitting it in a bid to open it.

"This ignited and exploded injuring both children and their mother," a copy of a police report seen by New Vision, read in part.  Police responded to the scene and rushed the victims to kitgum matidi Health Centre III, they were later referred to Kitgum general hospital.

Kiwoko

Last Friday, four victims; Ernest Ssendawula, 46, Tom Ssendege, 39, John Rubagira,42, and Francis Kiiza,50, are still nursing injuries at Kiwoko hospital.

According to Ssemwogerere, one person only identified as Katana came across an UXO.

He took a photo then reported to the Lcocal council chairperson (Sendawula) of Kalagala, who then together with his deputy (Semdege) went and picked it.

"The duo started examining it from the trading center. Falsely assessed no harm and dropped it near themselves. The UXO whose propeller had been damage from the garden exploded seriously injuring four people," Ssemwogere said.

A security team has been sent to comb the Kalagala area for more possible bombs that have never denoted and could pose a possible danger to the community.

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