Police destroy waragi worth Shs60 million
Police officers pour crude waragi contained in drums in Kakolye village, Kampswahili Parish in Moroto District, last Thursday. PHOTO BY DAVID MAFABI
What you need to know:
Action. The gin was poured on the orders of court over reports that many residents in Karamoja have died over consumption of the brew.
Moroto. Police in Moroto District last Thursday destroyed more than 11,000 litres of crude waragi worth Shs60 million on the orders of court.
Moroto Grade One Magistrate Fred Lomongin remanded six people over dealing in the potent gin and ordered that it be disposed following reports that it had claimed lives of more than 15 people in Karamoja sub-region. The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Sam Abura, and her deputy, Ms Hellen Pulkol, oversaw the exercise of pouring the illicit brew in Kakolye village, Kampswahili Parish.
Ms Irene Aceng, the regional police spokesperson, said the Force will not relent in the fight against crude waragi and that all those involved in the brewing, transportation and consumption of alcohol will face the law.
Moroto mayor Alex Lemu said reports from Moroto Hospital indicate that 15 local council chairpersons in Moroto, Napak, Nakapiripirit and Amudat districts have died as a result of drinking the gin.
Leaders worried
“As leaders, we demand that this local gin is completely stopped from being sold in Karamoja because people take it when they are hungry and die,” said Mr Lemu.
He said many men have become impotent and that there is increased domestic violence because of consumption of the brew.
Background
Statistics released recently by the World Health Organisation indicatesthat 23.7 litrss of alcohol are consumed per capita by a local Ugandan. And 89 percent of this brew is unregulatedor illegally sold.
