Moses Kirya, a Mukenyi testifying at Soroti High court on the ongoing hearing of the Teso war victims compensation suits! Kirya worked as mobilizer at the office of the SDA (RDC) then. He said the war in Teso was inflamed by the actions and attitude of the then government soldiers, NRA. People were killed on mere suspicions, he saw the killing of 57 people in LABORI who were later dumped at the swamp, he also witnessed a killing of a relative, a Mukenyi old man and others in his village for mere suspicion of being rebels because they stayed at their homes, refusing to run away. As mobilizer, he witnessed his father’s animals and property being taken by government soldiers in a government he was serving. Pressed by the judge why he did not resign, Kirya said it would have been tragic for him and his dad Mikiloth Kirya who lives to date, but like other Bakenyi scattered all over after being accused by both sides of the war. He told court that the then RDC Rwakitarate in disgust asked him, why did Bakenyi come to Teso. He never abandoned his Teso roots and saved many Iteso while with government. Shedding tears , Kirya said president M7 should take full responsibility for the atrocities and failure to compensate Iteso many of whom like his dad had their claims verified by the army in the 1990’s. He was not shy to tell court that most of his Bakenyi people died in government hands.
