WHAT HAS THIS SEPTEMBER BROUGHT FOR KARAMOJA?

There is something that seems wrong with this month. This September started entirely in bad disposition. The only thing news is bloody! In a span of hardly one week; strange, fatal or actually death reports are the things people can hear and talk of. As I put this down, a colleague at my work place is reported bruised in an accident. She was on her way home to leak the sugar in an annual leave. Back at office, we are on our knees -to pray hard for her quick recuperation.

But the main issues are these critical accidents that rocked the vicinity of my current location – Karamoja. Comical ones are those reported at two Campuses of discipline –the prison stories in Kotido and Moroto. In Kotido, inmates reportedly scattered into the bushes as police officers in charge went for body fitness exercise -a road run. Bullets, am told roared in this dusty town until most of the campus students were fetched back.

Similarly, in Moroto, the afande in charge was ostensibly duped by these disciplined citizens. The boys, am told tricked police that they needed to pick their phone calls from nature! Boy, eye witnesses narrate that these students took the role of Steven Kiprotich after getting behind some bush. Police had no option but to shoot without missing. One unlucky gold medallist was hit and hurt not in the leg as required. Good thing, this wounded sprinter is currently chewing free medicine at Moroto regional referral boarding school.

Critical injuries caused by Asian craps called pikipikis are of all most weird considering the way they rocked the region. It’s unbelievable, yet we must accept and probably do something about it –at least pray for it.  Late last week; a man on a bike in Nakapiripirit district reportedly hit at a Tipa Lorry and his bones were immediately in broken pieces, limbs were badly out of order according to reports. As we say our prayers, the victim is receiving help in West Germany because no hospitals and no doctors were good enough for his assistance within our Country.

At the same time, another Youngblood in Moroto also landed with one more pikipiki and painfully broke all his two legs –bones chopped.  As we pray, this brother is being nursed at Mulago Hospital. Another man in Nyakwae Sub County of Abim district Friday last week reportedly kick-started the engine of his bajaj machine and entered gear one, gear two, three and four at the highest speed as he aimed at the sign post. His injuries according to those who saw are also terrible.

The motorbikes’ accident report that reached this website indicates that between Friday and Saturday last week alone, a total of nine people were admitted at Morulem Health Centre and most of them got transferred to Matany Hospital. A friend of mine who visited Matany tells that, the surgical ward is the busiest at present. “Almost every case is serious and nearly all of them are accidents from motor bikes”, he says. Before completing this write up, here is a phone call and guess what? Another accident! My Two home boys who were heading to Abim to attend two separate funeral services have entered the pikipiki ‘ambush!’ Moroto regional referral is trying to do service on the one injured person. As we pray, I even fear now to board a boda boda. My bicycle will be my jet for now.

Then, fire on the mountain! This should have been my catch-word; like never before, I almost witnessed live gunshot to kill. As we traversed Nakonyen village in Tapac Sub County Monday, people are on the run. The driver and me are stuck in thought that the farmers are either jogging to capture time, or the heavens is beginning to bleed. It was a simple stop that gave us the lession.

A self appointed 2^nd lieutenant is down and blood is burbling from his coconut. The young warrior clad in an army uniform had his ‘made-of-thread’ rank. According to the UPDF, the boy had a gun and was shooting at the combatants, before the trained men shouted bullets on his head. The army say the ‘lieutenant’ was with two other boys who had no guns, the two scattered free. Other cases of shootings and death are said to have occurred in Lorengedwat...

Thus, in order to try and save lives, traffic police might need to do more serious and real verification of the riders. There is need to regulate on speed. Police have all other possible reasons for the occurrence of accidents; I call upon them to do something. Then, as the grass continue to grow toll, let’s watch that some stubborn brothers still try to take advantage and look for innocent lives...Let’s be careful, this must be a crazy month!