We were given wrong body - soldier’s family
Coffins containing the remains of the 10 UPDF soldiers killed in last week’s al-Shabaab attack are received at the UPDF airbase in Entebbe last week. Photo by Dominic Bukenya
Kampala.
A family of a UPDF soldier killed in Somalia in last week’s al-Shabaab attack yesterday said it had been given a wrong body.
The family from Busia District said Sgt Emmanuel Wanyama, whose name appears on the list of 10 soldiers killed, was tall but the body given to them last Saturday night was of a short man.
“Wanyama is a giant. He also has a big scar on his hands. He was burnt by porridge when he was still young. But when we opened the casket, we realised the body was very short and there were no body marks Wanyama has,” Mr James Odoki, the uncle of the deceased, said.
The army spokesperson said they would carry out DNA tests to identify the identity of the body.
“The brother of the late had identified the body as theirs before we took it. We think some family members could have been confused by the impact of the bomb on the soldier. We will proceed with a DNA test immediately,” he said.
Mr Odoki said they had to stop gravediggers after the family realised it wasn’t Wanyama’s body. The body was later taken back to Bombo barracks.
“We are confused. We don’t know what to do. The widow and the mother are now travelling with the body to Bombo,” Mr Odoki said.
The family said Wanyama’s mother last talked to him on a Sunday, two days before the attack, and his phone has since been off.
UPDF brought 10 bodies, including one lieutenant, five sergeants, two Lance corporals, and two privates last Thursday.
The bodies were received by Maj Gen Sam Turyagyenda, the Commander Airforce, and the Chief of Staff Land Forces, Brig Leopold Kyanda.
During the somber ceremony at Entebbe Airbase, the UPDF brass band played dirges in memory of the fallen fellow combatants.
As the caskets were lowered from the giant UN C-130 aircraft, the army band played the solemn mourning song of Tunawakumbuka Wali Wenzu yetu, Walikufa Kwenye Mapambano [we remember our comrades who have fallen in the battlefield].
Brig Kyanda said the gallant soldiers passed on as a result of VBIED [vehicle-borne improvised explosive device] that radical al-Shabaab fighters used to attack their base.
He said Janaale was liberated by Amisom forces on February 14, 2013.
The numbers
Shs180m
Amount of money given as compensation to each family of a soldier who dies while on the Africa Union Mission in Somalia.
