50 clan members fall sick after eating poisonous cassava

KIBUKU- At least 50 mourners of the same clan in Kibuku district are fighting for their lives after eating millet bread suspected to be poisonous.

The victims, all residents of Kapyani village- Kasasila Sub County were on Monday taken to Kasasila Health Centre, Pallisa Hospital and Kibuku Community Health Centre   in critical condition.

Children are among the patients. The affected villages are Kasasila, Nakondo and Kapyani.

Mr John Batonghana, the head of the clan told Daily Monitor at Kibuku Community Health Centre, where is admitted, that they bought dry cassava and took it to a mill and got flour.

He said moments after mourners ate the cassava bread, they started developing some complications.

“We developed complications which included vomiting, fever, general body weakness and diarrhea,” Mr Batonghana said.

He said they suspect that the cassava was poisonous because even other residents who bought it are also admitted to different hospitals after eating the cassava bread.

Ms Jane Kajenbe another victim wants security organs to investigate the source of cassava.

“Everyone who bought this cassava is sick.  The whole village is affected,” Ms Kajenbe said.

The Resident District Commissioner Ms Margaret Wazikonya said they have taken the cassava samples to the government laboratory in Kampala for examination.

She explained that they have dispatched a team of detectives to look for the mobile traders who sold the cassava to the residents.

Ms Norah Akyali , a nurse at Kibuku Community Health Centre said the victims were undergoing tests to ascertain whether it was the cassava that caused the sickness. She, however, said all the patients are recovering steadily.