Victims of election violence get compensation

ELECTIONS|VIOLENCE|DEATH|COMPENSATION

KATAKWI - The construction of three houses for the family whose relative was killed and two others who were injured during the National Resistance Movement primaries in Kapujan sub-county, Katakwi district, has kicked off.

During the Friday election chaos, Charles Otiang and Lucy Apenyo were reportedly shot and injured by a security personnel suspected to be from the Local Defence Unit (LDU), who was among over 10 security officers guarding the Apule polling station in Kapujan sub county, Toroma County.

Teresa Akiror, 69, a resident of Apule in Kapujan sub-county, was allegedly killed by a stray bullet when violence broke out between the supporters of Walter Elakas Okiring and Joseph Andrew Koluo, who were both contesting for the Toroma County NRM flag.

The two contenders lost the race to Solomon Ossiya. Elakas is the Katakwi LC5 chairperson, while Koluo is the incumbent district MP.

On Saturday, relatives of the victims walked for over 20km to Katakwi Central Police Station, protesting the shooting of their loved ones.

Bosco Okiror Aliabu, the LC5 councillor for Kapujan subcounty, who is a supporter of Koluo, said some of the people who lost in the primaries last week are still threatening their lives.

During the burial of Akiror on Sunday, the NRM secretary general, Justine Kasule Lumumba, who was representing the party chairperson, President Yoweri Museveni, contributed sh20m for the construction of the houses for the victims.

The President also contributed sh5m and the NRM secretariat also raised sh3m as condolence to the bereaved family. The families of Apenyo and Otiang who were airlifted from Katakwi hospital to Kampala for further treatment, also received sh3m, each.

The Katakwi District Police Commander, Rogers Kapere, said: "We are already holding four LDUs, one Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) officer and one regular Police and their guns are being examined. Those whose guns will be found to have fired the bullets, will be charged accordingly."