1 killed, 2 injured in land clashes
Sep 10, 2008
ONE person was hacked to death and three others sustained serious injuries during land clashes between the Bagisu and Bagwere over Namatala wetland.
By Daniel Edyegu
ONE person was hacked to death and three others sustained serious injuries during land clashes between the Bagisu and Bagwere over Namatala wetland.
The wetland borders Mbale and Budaka districts. The regional Police commander, Alphonse Mbuga, on Tuesday said the unidentified body of a man was retrieved from the wetland, while the injured, including Mustafa Kesasi, were admitted to Mbale Hospital.
“The deceased and the injured are Bagwere from Kamonkoli sub-county in Budaka. One of them sustained three deep cuts on the head, while the other had his left arm almost chopped off,†Mbuga said.
He said the Bagisu fled when the Police arrived at the scene in Nasenyi village, Budaka.
Mbuga said the Police had been deployed to maintain calm.
“We are making arrangements for the local leaders from the two districts to meet and settle this matter. This bloodshed shouldn’t continue unchecked,†Mbuga stated.
Meanwhile, a mob armed with sticks, stones and pangas hurled insults at policemen at Kamonkoli Police post.
They claimed that the Police just looked on as the Bagisu attacked their colleagues.
“These Police officers are corrupt. The man (deceased) screamed for help but you could not shoot in the air to disperse the Bagisu, claiming that you are waiting for orders from above!†an angry man yelled at the Police.
The mob carried away the body from the station before a postmortem examination was done.
The conflict over the wetland started in 2004 when Budaka was still under Pallisa district.
The Bagisu from Mbale and the Bagwere of Budaka use the wetland to cultivate yams, rice and sugarcane.
But last year, three Bagwere were hacked to death and four injured during clashes with the Bagisu over the wetland.
Local leaders from the two districts resolved to demarcate the boundaries of the wetland.
Samuel Mulomi, the Budaka chairman, said each district contributed sh1.5m and the money was given to Justine Bwogi, the surveys commissioner, to demarcate the wetland.
“He (Bwogi) told us that he would put concrete pillars measuring 100 feet on either side of the stream running through the wetland that would act as a buffer zone between the two districts and farmers were not supposed to cultivate in it. But he only erected the pillars on the Budaka side and disappeared without explanation,†Mulomi said.
He said this aggravated the conflict because the Bagisu dug a trench at Nasenyi, about 4km inside Budaka district.
ONE person was hacked to death and three others sustained serious injuries during land clashes between the Bagisu and Bagwere over Namatala wetland.
The wetland borders Mbale and Budaka districts. The regional Police commander, Alphonse Mbuga, on Tuesday said the unidentified body of a man was retrieved from the wetland, while the injured, including Mustafa Kesasi, were admitted to Mbale Hospital.
“The deceased and the injured are Bagwere from Kamonkoli sub-county in Budaka. One of them sustained three deep cuts on the head, while the other had his left arm almost chopped off,†Mbuga said.
He said the Bagisu fled when the Police arrived at the scene in Nasenyi village, Budaka.
Mbuga said the Police had been deployed to maintain calm.
“We are making arrangements for the local leaders from the two districts to meet and settle this matter. This bloodshed shouldn’t continue unchecked,†Mbuga stated.
Meanwhile, a mob armed with sticks, stones and pangas hurled insults at policemen at Kamonkoli Police post.
They claimed that the Police just looked on as the Bagisu attacked their colleagues.
“These Police officers are corrupt. The man (deceased) screamed for help but you could not shoot in the air to disperse the Bagisu, claiming that you are waiting for orders from above!†an angry man yelled at the Police.
The mob carried away the body from the station before a postmortem examination was done.
The conflict over the wetland started in 2004 when Budaka was still under Pallisa district.
The Bagisu from Mbale and the Bagwere of Budaka use the wetland to cultivate yams, rice and sugarcane.
But last year, three Bagwere were hacked to death and four injured during clashes with the Bagisu over the wetland.
Local leaders from the two districts resolved to demarcate the boundaries of the wetland.
Samuel Mulomi, the Budaka chairman, said each district contributed sh1.5m and the money was given to Justine Bwogi, the surveys commissioner, to demarcate the wetland.
“He (Bwogi) told us that he would put concrete pillars measuring 100 feet on either side of the stream running through the wetland that would act as a buffer zone between the two districts and farmers were not supposed to cultivate in it. But he only erected the pillars on the Budaka side and disappeared without explanation,†Mulomi said.
He said this aggravated the conflict because the Bagisu dug a trench at Nasenyi, about 4km inside Budaka district.