Bukwo DPC loses fingers to tear gas

Bukwo- Tear gas is known to be used by riot police to disperse rowdy crowds and it has rarely affected those who use it for the purpose.

However, Mr Alfred K Baluku, the Bukwo District police commander, may never ably use his right hand after a teargas canister exploded in his arm badly injuring his fingers except the thumb.

Mr Baluku, who had gone to Kwirwot village, Senendet Sub-county in Bukwo District to mediate a land conflict between the family of the late Mzee Kapchemu and Kwirwot Church of Uganda, was left with the right hand almost amputated when a tear gas canister failed to explode.

The DPC’s right hand palm was affected and all his fingers were completely destroyed.

An eyewitness, Mr Job Chelangat, said the family members of Mzee Kapchemu claim nearly an acre of land that was donated to Kwirwot Primary School by their late father.

The school shares a compound with the church on the contested land.

Dating several years ago, a church was put up in one of the school’s classrooms.

Having expanded, the church also bought another plot within the school’s proximity and the two institutions shared a compound. This family has been accusing the church of having intentions to take over their land.

Armed with machetes; they wanted to attack church members who sought for help from police to restore calm.

“When police arrived, the same family members did not fear, they started throwing stones at police and threatened to attack them with pangas,” Mr Chelangat said.

This is what prompted Mr Baluku to use teargas that failed to explode when he threw it at the growing crowd.

“He ran to help a man who stood gazing at the canister under his feet. When he tried to remove the canister from where it was, it exploded before he could let it go, seriously injuring his palm and fingers,” Mr Chelangat said.

The injured officer was rushed to Bukwo hospital for first aid and later referred to Mt Elgon Hospital for further management of the situation.

Mr Musa Nabende, the Sipi regional commander police confirmed the incident but said there was no cause for alarm although the officer is still in pain as he nurses his injuries. “I am not sure of the extent of damage but I hear all his fingers were affected, this was an accident,” Mr Nabende said.

He commended the officer for responding to the scene and preventing violence which could have led to loss of lives

He warned officers to be careful when handling weapons to secure their own lives.
Mr Nabende said land wrangles in Bukwo account nearly to 90 per cent of cases reported to police and this has remained a challenge to them as it poses serious security threats.

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