The Kotido District Police Commander, Apollo Kyangungu confirmed receiving information regarding the death of minors but said he was yet to confirm the cause of death.
Two children from Lokitelaebu Town Council in Kotido District have died after eating poisonous cassava tubers.
The deceased, aged seven and eleven years, are children of Kapel Lokwamoe, a resident of Kalojuka village in Lokitelaebu Town Council.
Owiny Dolo, a resident of Lokitelaebu told URN that the parents of the children were away from home at the time of the incident. He explains that neighbors found two lifeless bodies of the children at their home on Monday afternoon.
According to Owiny, the children were hungry and decided to uproot the tubers of the poisonous cassava plant. The plant is sometimes planted at home to provide a shade.
// cue in "They thought…
Cue out…that plant"//
The Kotido District Police Commander, Apollo Kyangungu confirmed receiving information regarding the death of minors but said he was yet to confirm the cause of death.
Information from Lokitelaebu indicates that other children who reportedly ate the same tubers were receiving treatment at Lokitelaebu HC III.
A number of families in Karamoja are already facing serious hunger following poor yields last year. While the region received heavy rains as early as February, a few people watched the water flow while others who planted crops were affected by diseases like the fall army warm and sorghum midge.
The hunger situation is forcing many children especially girls into the neighboring Teso and Lango sub regions to offer labor in exchange for food.
Edward Eninu
Stanley Ebele
Freelancer
