Breaking the Chains of Poverty and Division: Gen. Elwelu Leads Deliverance Prayer Camp in Usuk

KATAKWI – In a bid to restore Teso’s glory and eliminate poverty and disunity, Gen. Peter Elwelu of Elohim Ministries Church led a two-day deliverance prayer camp in Apuuton Village, Usuk. The event aimed to break the cycle of poverty, division, and bloodshed traditionally associated with certain cultural practices in the region.

The focus of the camp was the Ongima initiation site (also known as Asapan or Airiget Ongima), one of the largest and most significant initiation sites in Teso. This site has long been used by the Iteso Cultural Union for initiation rites. It has also attracted certain political figures who perform rituals such as spearing a live bull and drinking its blood as part of their initiation ceremonies.

Bishop Israel Tukei of Light Resurrection Ministries called on all Christian denominations, including Pentecostals, to continue praying for Teso, particularly for the Usuk Ongimakol and Okolimo initiation sites. Apostle James Adupa of Christ Disciple Church in Ngora emphasized the need for unity within the Iteso community, citing biblical passages such as Genesis 11:1-5, Judges 20:1-8, and 1 Corinthians 1:10, which all stress the importance of solidarity.

Rev. Fr. Patrick Acedu Opio, Dean of Katakwi Deanery and parish priest of St. Ann Usuk, expressed his gratitude for the deliverance prayers. He noted the recent demolition of several initiation sites, including the Okolimo site in Usuk, following a month-long prayer camp.

In addition to Ongima, other significant initiation sites in Katakwi under the Iteso Cultural Union (ICU) include Akwang in Apolin and Operemo in Magoro. Rev. Fr. Acedu Opio also voiced concerns about political leaders who continue to engage in shrine rituals, urging them instead to seek church blessings for their leadership. Archbishop Moses Odongo, overseer of Ugandan Pentecostal churches, advocated for replacing “evil altars” with altars dedicated to God, as emphasized in 1 Samuel 15:21. He called on all church denominations to work together in removing demonic shrines across Teso, while clarifying that this transformation should not hinder genuine cultural practices.

The camp concluded with an unexpected and unsettling discovery: a 20-meter, two-headed snake of various colors was found dead in the area. This rare and disturbing sight heightened the concerns of local residents. Some disclosed that elders and political figures, including former LC5 Katakwi Walter Elakas Okiring (also known as Ongimakol) and the late Emorimor Augustine Osuban Lemukol, had performed rituals at the Ongima site in the past.

Source credit: TNN