SOROTI
A 28-year-old mother died on Saturday evening after she was trampled during a stampede at a campaign rally for Soroti County Member of Parliament Patrick Aeku, police have said.
The deceased, Rose Ajiko, a resident of Asuroi village in Kamuda Parish, Soroti District, was among supporters attending the rally at Aminit Primary School when chaos broke out during the distribution of yellow campaign T-shirts bearing President Yoweri Museveni photos.
Eyewitnesses said the gathering had been calm until a campaign vehicle arrived and began handing out T-shirts, triggering a sudden rush by the crowd.
“In the chaos, she fell and was trampled. It all happened so fast,” said Emmy Ogonga, an eyewitness.
Ajiko leaves behind her husband, Francis Olanya, and four children, the youngest aged two.
“This has shaken us all. The children keep asking for their mother, and we don’t know how to console them,” said Sarah Aibo, a relative of the deceased.
Moses Olang, the district police commander at Katine Central Police Station, said officers were recording statements from witnesses as inquiries continue.
“A postmortem is yet to be conducted to establish the exact cause of death,” Olang said.
By press time, organisers of the rally had not issued an official statement on the incident.
