By Peter Abanabasazi
At least 22 people have been rushed and hospitalized at Butiaba health center III in Buliisa after eating toxic food.
The patients including 19 children, 2 women and a man whose particulars were not readily available by press time were rushed to the health facility on Wednesday night after they were served with food which locals suspect to have been laced with poison.
The residents are from different families in the village of Magali in Butiaba town council.
Moses Asaba, the Butiaba town council LCIII Chairperson told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that some family members of the victims bought cassava flour from yet unidentified woman at Butiaba market on Wednesday afternoon that is suspected to have been laced with poison.
He says after they bought the cassava flour, they prepared food for their families.
According to Asaba, after eating the food, all the 22 residents developed severe stomach complications and developed diarrhoea, vomiting headache among other complications.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson says investigations into the matter have commenced.
In July 2019, five people from the same family in Buliisa district died after eating suspected poisoned food.
The deceased persons were then identified as Agnes Naume 30, Robert Omirambe 10, Charles Agenonga 11, Richard Sunday 12 and Moureen Issa 5 all residents of Kilyango village in Ngwedu sub-county Bulliisa district.
It was alleged at the time that Naume the mother of the deceased children served cassava flour with beans which had been laced with poison.
After eating the food, all the family members developed severe stomach complications and developed diarrhoea and vomiting complications.
The constant in all cases is cassava flour. Although locals hasten to suspect willful poisoning, there is also a possibility of food poisoning due to contamination.
