Murchison Park Death Toll Up To 12

THE death toll of the Tuesday's Murchison Falls National Park ambush has risen to 12, report Milton Olupot and Kezio Musoke. Another victim, Susan Abenaco, died in Nebbi Hospital where she was admitted in critical condition. Nine tourism students of the Jimmy Sekasi Catering Institute, Kampala, died instantly on Tuesday after they were shot dead together with their director and institute founder, Jimmy Sekasi. The students were on a five-day study tour of the park. One student died later of bullet wounds. Ten bodies were yesterday flown to Kampala and postmortems carried out at the City mortuary, Mulago before relatives claimed them. The survivors were transferred to Mulago Hospital. A park guide, Stephen Asiimwe, was also killed in the ambush that took place at about 9.00am between Paara and Pakwach. Army Intelligence sources yesterday said the assailants were Joseph Kony's Lords' Resistance Army (LRA) rebels and that the search for them had intensified. "The Army believes the massacre was carried out by the Kony's Lord's Resistance Army rebels," army chief spokesman Lt. Col. Phinehas Katirima yesterday said. President Yoweri Museveni yesterday sent condolence messages to the bereaved families and donated sh1m to assist them meet the burial expenses. The Minister of State for Security, Muruli Mukasa, delivered the condolence message and contribution to the institute. The United States yesterday advised its citizens to stay away from the park. A statement from Washington said, "The department recommends strongly that American citizens avoid all travels to Murchison falls National Park and environs until such time as appropriate security is in place to ensure the safety of visitors." The army yesterday bought coffins and provided transport of the bodies to the respective villages of origin. Most bodies are expected to be buried today. Ssegane Matovu, the food production instructor at the institute, yesterday said the eight survivors, including two critically injured, had also been moved to Kampala. The two students, Willy Okello and Johnson Lalonyo who had gone missing, have returned. Relatives of Audrey Bagenyi and Justine Nanyondo picked the bodies in the morning and they are expected to be buried today in Hoima and Masaka respectively. Five other bodies were also said to be destined for Masaka. By press time, all the bodies had been taken from the mortuary. Ends