Legacy of IDP Camps Sparks Alcohol Abuse Crisis in Lango Region

In Uganda’s Lango sub-region, the scars of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict persist through a growing alcohol crisis rooted in former internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. Places like Ojwii in Oyam District, which once housed over 10,500 people, saw residents turn to cheap local brews to numb trauma from displacement and violence.

A 34-year-old survivor named Sam starts his day at 6am wandering to a trading center in Abela Parish, Aleka Sub-county, where he drinks potent homemade wine with young farmers returning from their fields. By mid-morning, he’s deeply intoxicated, reflecting a common pattern among idle youth.

Community Development Officer Sharon Acen Ego of Ogur Sub-county in Lira District blames idleness post-farm work as the main trigger, rather than poverty alone. Young resident Denis Bua, 22, casually buys Shs1,000 bottles at nearby shops, trapped in a habitual cycle that started in 2024.

Local security officer Eric Odyek reports surging youth crimes like theft of livestock for drinking money, alongside alcohol-fueled robberies and rapes. Ogur leaders introduced a 2024 by-law limiting drinking to 4pm-7pm, but enforcement falters due to resource shortages.

LC3 Chairman Michael Odongo notes alcohol’s ubiquity in everyday shops, making it cheaply accessible to teens. Lira District authorities warn of mental health strains on hospitals from low-cost spirits mislabeled at 12% but containing up to 60% industrial alcohol, causing quick intoxication and deaths.

Assistant Resident City Commissioner Bonny Ferdinand Okello Alele revealed ongoing probes into trading centers, with 60% profiled, exposing factories mixing industrial spirits into wine for high demand. A 2018 Global Health Network Uganda study across Oyam, Lira, Dokolo, and Alebtong found ex-IDP leisure limited to alcohol and sex, with men drinking daily more than women.

This article is based on a report from the Daily Monitor.