Cyrus Okot, the LC 1 Chairperson of Abili East village in Labwoch parish reveals that the explosive and many more still undiscovered are remnants of the war fought in the area in 1986 by the LRA rebels and government forces.
Residents of Koro Sub County in Omoro district are in panic
following the delayed response by security personnel to remove two bombs
discovered in the area.
The two bombs include mortar explosive shells that are suspected to have been
left behind by fighters of the Lord’s Resistance Army – LRA rebels during the
two decades of insurgency in Northern Uganda.
Albino Ouma, a casual labourer says that he excavated the mortar explosive
shell from a building foundation he was digging alongside his colleagues at the
home of Willy Opoka on Wednesday last week.
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Cyrus Okot, the LC I Chairperson of Abili East village in Labwoch
parish reveals that the explosive and many more still undiscovered are remnants
of the war fought in the area in 1986 by the LRA rebels and
government forces.
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The Defense Secretary for the village, George Ojera explained that the area is
still infested with more explosive remnants of war and appealed to government
send bomb experts to comb the forested area.
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In neighbouring Munurac village of Payeya parish, Bosco Obol, the area LCI
Chairperson says that another mortar explosive shell was in May unearthed by an
ox-plough in the area and the security personnel are yet to respond.
Meanwhile, local authorities of Labala parish in Labala parish, Pabbo
Sub-County, Kilak South Constituency in Amuru district have also reported the
discovery of unexploded ordnances pending extraction.
When contacted, Maj. Caesar
Olweny, the Uganda People’s Defense Force - UPDF Spokesperson for 4th Division
Infantry Barracks regretted the delays attributing it to logical constraints
and poor coordination from the local leaders.
In January 2017 six children from the same family in Angagura Sub-County, Aruu
North County sustained severe wounds after a bomb which they were playing with
detonated. The children reportedly found the explosive object in a kraal and
started playing with it.
More than 600 military explosives have been discovered and destroyed in Acholi
sub-region by the army since 2010. Reports indicate so far 147 were discovered
in Pader, 166 in Gulu, 93 in Kitgum and 223 Amuru district.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and later Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
