Hospital on the spot for demolishing cemetery
Under investigation. Part of the cemetery land that was allegedly fenced off and cleared by Kapchorwa Hospital administration for cultivation on Thursday last week. Photo by fred wambede
What you need to know:
- Land grabbing. The Chief Administrative Officer said the cemetery used to sit on 27.5 acres but the land has reduced to eight acres due to land grabbing
KAPCHORWA. Residents of Kapchorwa Municipality in Kapchorwa District have criticised the administration of Kapchorwa Hospital for allegedly clearing a public cemetery for cultivation.
The residents told Daily Monitor on Saturday that the hospital administration first fenced off the cemetery before they cleared it for crop growing last Thursday.
Mr William Cheptoek, a resident and an opinion leader, said they have information that the hospital administrators are behind the clearing of the public cemetery.
“We have credible information that the hospital administrators are behind the demolition and clearing of the cemetery, which sets a bad precedent,” he said.
“We only ask them to be considerate to the fate of our deceased relatives who have been buried here. They should not disturb the peace of our ancestors because the repercussion may be unbearable to our unborn children,” he said.
“In our culture you can’t sell land or cultivate on the grave. It’s an abomination but these people have been brainwashed by the Whiteman’s education and no longer have respect for cultures and values we inherited from our ancestors,” Mr Amos Chelangat, another resident, said.
Mr Chelangat said the cemetery has been used for burying unclaimed dead bodies from mortuaries since the 1960s.
Ms Ece Chepkwemoi, the medical superintendent of the hospital, when contacted said they agreed as administration to fence off the cemetery and cultivate only on the part where there are no graves.
“We fenced to prevent land grabbing,” she said.
Mr Isaac Cherista, the acting District Health Officer, said: “I am not aware of the demolition but for clearing, it is believed a hospital staff is behind it, something we are still investigating,” he said.
Mr Simon Peter Kandole, the Chief Administrative Officer, explained that the cemetery used to sit on 27.5 acres but it has reduced to eight acres due to land grabbing.
Mr Asad Tuti, a senior administrator at the hospital, said the families that were resettled on part of the cemetery land by Kapchorwa Town Council in 1980s, are claiming ownership of land and are also cultivating it.
The Resident District Commissioner, Ms Rose Emma Cherukut, said her office will investigate the allegations.
