Serere clergy ask government to step up security

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | The clergy in Serere district has urged the government to step up security in the district.

They are concerned with the number of murder cases which have caused panic in the community, despite the presence of several security agencies in the district.

The clergy’s comments follow the murder of a businessman, Charles Egonyu, who was killed in December. Several guns have been recovered and poison cases reported at police.

Records from security agencies in Serere indicate that the district registers at least five cases of murder every year in each of the sub-counties of Kadungulu, Kyere and Atiira.

Rev. George William Ongia of Kadungulu Parish CoU says that while as the church, they are trying to grow people spiritually, there is need for government and security agencies to improve the security.

He says that there is need for security beef in the area and deployment of security personnel in all the mushrooming centres across the district.

Rev. James Ecuman of Toror Parish CoU in Bugondo sub county says people have lost morals, something he notes has made them fail to consider forgiveness amidst their grudges.

“In Bugondo, people have resorted to witchcraft and other forms of malicious behaviours to take away life. How can we live like this in a society? The leadership of this district should come out tackle this act, head on”, he said.

Geoffrey Okiswa, the Resident District Commissioner attributed acts of insecurity in Serere to drug abuse and alcoholism. He explains that some youth in Atiira sometime caused panic in the area after torching several homes, pretending to be demon-possessed.

He revealed that they are also investigating cases where unknown people poisoned fish in ponds in Kyere and Pingire sub-counties, leaving the youth counting losses worth billions of shillings.

Tom Ojulu, the district Youth Chairman of Serere, says that he has survived being poisoned three times. He has been in and out of the hospitals throughout last year where poison was extracted from his body.

Okiswa says the security team is on the ground to weed out the criminals.

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