UGANDA:  SPIRIT MEDIUM, SEVERINO LUKOYA TO BE LAID TO REST, AUGUST 3, 2024

Father of the Holy Spirits Movement founder, Alice AumaLakwena, Kiberu Lukoya Severino will be laid to rest, August, 3, 2024 amidst contestation of the final resting place.

Lukoya’s daughter, Doreen Adokorach, a younger sister of Alice AumaLakwena wants her dad buried at her home inUnyama while her brother and kin want Severino laid to rest at the ancestral home in Bungatira where Alice AumaLakwena was also laid to rest.

After Alice AumaLakwena passed on from Dadaab Refugee Camp, Kenya in 2007, Severino Lukoya intensified his own spiritual movement complete with a church named New Jerusalem Tabernacle Church also called Meltar. He would refer to himself as Won (The Father). Lukoya passed on, July 8, 2024 of prostate cancer complications.

Severino Lukoya’s daughter, Lakwena (Messenger) led a rebellion against the Government of Uganda in 1986 – 1987, militantly marching on from Northern Uganda through Eastern Uganda, only getting stopped at Magamaga, barely 120 Kilometres from the seat of Government in Central Uganda.

GULU CITY-MONDAY JULY, 21, 2024

By Livingstone Okumu Langol

Severino KiberuLukoya fathered Alice Auma Lakwena who was a Ugandan rebel leader, founder of the Holy Spirit Movement (HSM) in 1986. Lakwena’smovement was driven by spiritual powers and the belief that her soldiers were immune to bullets after they got anointed with holy water sprinkled on them.

On their part, stones could the thrown at enemies and exploded like grenades. Based on that belief, the fearless soldiers succeeded in several battles against the government forces, unstoppable for over 400 kilometres, almost on the verge of crossing the Nile at Jinja in the attempt to reach Kampala, then the only capital city of Uganda.

After her defeat atMagamaga National Resistance Army Barracks, in Jinja in July 1987, her father, Kiberu Lukoya took over from her, claiming to be the father of the movement.

On Monday, July 21, 2024, following the passing on of Severino Kiberu Lukoya on Aug. 3, hisrelatives gathered at Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC), to address the press on the scheduled burial, and refuting an earlier position announced that Severino’s burial will take place in Unyama Sub-county, Gulu District.

Kaunda Robinson, the grandson led the irate family and relatives, disputing the announced burial site, that includedBuladina Abur his aunt, the eldest son of Lukoya, Oloya Masindi, head of Pugwinyi Clan, Obwona Simayo and his paternal uncle, Okello Odera Michael who hailed from Lukwor Ayom village in Pader District.

“We came straight to address the press on the issue of burial of Severino Kiberu Lukoya, which will take place in Bungatira, Latyeng village, the ancestral home, where acclaimed Prophetess Alice AumaLakwena and my mother, Ayaa Lukoya’s graves lie,” an irate Kaunda Robinson bellowed.

“We came here to appeal to well-wishers who want to condole with us that the burial site is at Bungatira and not at Umyama as earlier announced,” Kaunda continued.

Obwoya Simayo, the clan leader of Pugwinyi, revealed thathe spoke with the late Lukoya before he passed on, and he told them to go and see what he had left behind at a stream next to his home at Bungatira but he rejected the request. He said Lukoya’s daughter, Doreen Adokorach, has no authority to bury Lukoya at Unyama in a bought piece of land when the ancestral land is at Bungatira.

“In Acholi daughters do not bury their father. “As a family of Kiberu Lukoya, we reject our sister’s demand that her father must be buried at Unyama. In Acholi culture, “Nyako pe kutu Bila” (women do not blow horns), we are burying our man, if her daughter wants to help us, she can do so as a responsible daughter,” Obwoya asserted.

Oloya Masindi, the elder son of the late Severino Kiberu Lukoya says his late father did not leave a will, if he had left one that he preferred to be buried elsewhere, then the family would not contest it.

He said Lukoya’s mother hailed from Pacwa clan in Madi while his father was the late Daniel Lawoko of PatikoPugwinyi clan.

He said beforeLukoya joined the Holy Spirit Movement (HSM) rebel group, he was not associated with any known religion.

“Doreen Adokorach may be interested in securing the land left behind by her father as church property at Unyama by using Lukoya’s grave as a marker, for us we are only interested in a decent send-off for Severino, and all her siblings and grandchildren say their father should be buried at Bungatira,” Oloya Masindi asserted.

Oloya reasoned that since his father never left a will behind, his Meltar Church in Kony Paco, at Gulu City remains family land, but whoever becomes a pastor of Meltar church can work with his sister, Doreen Adokorach, who has interest in the property.

“What we don’t want is Lukoya to be buried in a red cloth, as we hear is being planned by his followers. “That is contrary to the Acholi culture,” Oloya said.

Severino Kiberu Lukoya contributed to the development of the country; he was a constructor who contributed to building many residences in Gulu City. His daughter Alice Auma Lakwena led HSM against then tyranny of the Kampala regime, and again he preached peace at his Meltar Church.

Michael Okello Odera agreed with Lukoya’s family, that four days ago, when he learned that his brother-in-law had passed on, he came to mourn with them. The issues which arose that Lukoya should be buried outside his family land cannot happen.

“When my aunt, Mrs Ayaa Lukoya died, after the funeral ceremony, I sat the family down, we held a meeting and agreed about the Bungatira home as a burial ground for the family,” Okello Odera said.

Severino Kiberu Lukoya was born 1920, at Bungatira, Latwong village, went to studypre-primary school at Church of Uganda, and later trained as a carpenter in preparation as a prominent builder in his area.

Oloya Masindi, son of late Severino Kiberu Lukoya (second right) during the press briefing about the burial arrangement of his late father at NUMEC in Gulu City July 21, 2024. He rooted for the burial of his late father to be at the ancestral home at Bungatira and not at Unyama as his sister Doreen Adokorach had announced. (Photo by Livingstone Okumu Langol).