The emerging narrative raises questions about how traditional beliefs, communal rituals and modern explanations of mortality intersect as communities search for answers to persistent deaths in the Acholi Sub Region.
Beyond the grave: Acholi elders turn to tradition, vow to cast out evil spirits that at the moment are causing more deaths than ever in the Acholi Sub Region. Once Gemo is cast out, no more deaths.
GULU CITY-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2026.
By Okumu Livingstone Langol, (Uganda Correspondent)
Too Gwentonino, 105 years old, an elder from Gam Kulu Kwac village, Kitgum Matidi Sub County, a renowned former civil servant turned to Acholi traditional norms as an authority, swore to put an end to thousands of deaths across Acholi Sub Region once the evil spirits are cast out
“Today, Saturday, 5th September, we have performed Acholi traditional cultural norms that prohibit livestock deaths. We call for our ancestral intervention on the slaughter of Chicken Rams and cattle. By slaughtering H-Goat Nyok Labwor I Akul, to stop bad omen.
The next thing we are going to do is cast out evil spirits, Remo Gemo in Acholi Sub Region, as the deaths continue to concern communities in the Acholi Sub Region; we, the elders, are turning to traditional beliefs.” Too warned.
He elaborates that conducting Remo Gemo has been a customary cleansing ritual traditionally associated with the end of the year to cast out Cen, what we believe are evil or demonic spirits blamed for the deaths.
In a mocking tone, Too Gwentonino, an old man of the clan from Kitgum Matidi Sub County in Kitgum District, says his narrative is healing the highest numbers of deaths that have become catastrophic. The day when Acholi are cast Cen, all the witch doctors, those who send evil spirits to cause death to their relatives, Lulok wang boke, the Witch, Lumyel jok, night runner, the people who poison people (Luwol), and disco dancers across the Acholi Sub Region must cease their actions.
The Witch, night dancers, the witch Luyir, Lutal, Lutyet, Lukota, Lukok wang boke, they must all gather together and drop what they have been doing. Otherwise, the day evil spirits Remo Cen will take place, all those evil spirits, men and women, will be swept together; they will die.
The good thing is, President Museveni knows that Cen exists and the day we are casting Cen, he will be informed.
Too, Gwentonino instructed his people, the Acholi community across the region, that on the day of Remo cen, at all the fire burn places, people should not leave any log with fire; water must be pure to put out fire. If not, Cen which are being cast will come to seek shelter in those homes. And what are the signs, he narrated that those Cen will come, and they will be shouting with high voices; the people in the homestead may be thinking that there are some visitors outside.
And when they open the door, the Cen will attack them, and all will die; no visitor is allowed, no disco or dances will be allowed in Acholi land on those days when the Cen is being cast.
In every homestead, women will collect all the ashes from their cooking stove, all the dirt will be swept out of the houses, and all the water will be purified from the containers. The operation of Ryemo Cen will start from the Eastern end of Acholi, from Labwor Hill, which was the credal land when Owiny Nyipir, with their father Lum me Layer, settled before the Jo Ku Ojok, Jo Ku Molo, Jo Ku Owiny. The main Luo groups departed toward the South and went to settle in South Nyaza Province of Kenya and around the Mwanza Lakes, Victoria, Tanzania.
The motion of Ryemo Cen will descend in order toward the west up to the River Nile, and coincidentally. The Alur people process West Nile will continue the act of Ryemo Cen. The Acholi household has been conducting this at the end of the year for generations.
The merging narrative raises questions about how Traditional beliefs, communal rituals and modern explanations of mortality intersect as communities search for answers to persistent death in the regions.
What Prompted Too Gwentonino, according to mental health Illness reports in Northern Uganda, the Acholi Sub Region, the report indicates. Accor mental health ding reported news from Oyengyeng.com an online
