UGANDA

CENTRAL CONFLICTS
Kakoza’s group later joined Museveni and his National Resistance Army (NRA). Since the
overthrow of Tito Okello Lutwa in 1986, Kakoza Mutale has remained with the NRA/M
and has held several government positions. 491
BUGANDA
Post - Bush War Conflicts
The end of open war that raged from 1981 to 1986 did not mean the end of
conflict in the central region. As in northern Uganda, a wide variety of conflicts
of a different nature sprang up after the guns heard during the Bush War fell
silent. Participants identified poverty caused by the Bush War, witchcraft,
domestic violence and conflict between youth and older people as conflicts that
are legacies from the armed violence of the Bush War.
121. Conflict arising from the poverty caused by war in Luwero Triangle
(1986 – present)
As mentioned above under “national level conflicts”, the Bush War plunged the Luwero
Triangle into poverty that persisted after Museveni took power. Participants emphasized
that peace is absent in homes due to economic hardship, and this has caused a lot of
domestic violence in the district. 492 As one participant noted, when “a family head can’t
afford some necessities in a home” this creates a climate of aggression and genderrelated
conflicts in the home. 493
122. Witchcraft (1986 – present)
In all of the communities in central region, ‘witchcraft’ 494 was identified as the source of
major on-going conflicts. When the five-year Bush War left survivors in the Luwero triangle
area (especially in Nakasongola district) impoverished, they turned to witchcraft to acquire
wealth. According to participants, however, many who turned to witchcraft failed to meet
the demands made by spirits. Such demands included the sacrifice of children. For that
reason, witchcraft spirits are said to haunt public places such as markets, the roadside,
schools and hospitals, and to have become a public menace in Nakasongola District. 495
Spirits were said to have attacked pupils in Bujabe primary school in Nakitoma subcounty
in November 2011, causing them to become confused and to start running up
and down. As a consequence, the students were unable to complete their national
exams. It was also said that in Nabiswera health centre III, spirits attacked and raped a
female staff member and tortured a male staff member. As a result, the centre’s patients
491 Ibid
492 Research conducted in Luwero District
493 Ibid
494 The terminology used in this Compendium reflects that used by the participants and does not reflect an
opinion or judgement of the authors or editors
495 Research conducted in Nakasongola District
227