Africa-Press – Uganda. She holds her chin by the left hand, her eyes gazing in a distance, past the playful children. Peace Tukamusa Kyarubingo’s eyes tell of pain and sadness that emanates from unanswered questions surrounding the death of her husband.
On the night of March 10, Frank Byaruhanga left home but did not return, sending his family into panic as they combed the neighbourhood, police stations, friends’ home to find him but in vain.
He was later discovered dead, with a rope around his neck. He had allegedly been strangled and his boda boda stolen.
Mr Jackson Turyamureba, the chairperson of Kyahubingo Village in Buhanda Sub-county, Kitagwenda District, says several people have lost their lives in the last five years but the community feels justice is slow.
“Police are in circus. Suspects are known but no investigations are being made. One day, a culprit is arrested and then released,” Mr Turyamureba says.
Byaruhanga’s body was later discovered in Kikoye forest. The widow says the suspects in connection with the killing were arrested and taken Ntara Police Station.
Ms Kyarubingo says on the fateful night, her husband had gone to pick money a friend owed him.
“At about 9pm, he had not returned, so I feared that he had been arrested for violating curfew time. I called his phone and it was off. I kept calling but in vain. After midnight, I started getting worried because he had never slept outside home,” she recalls.
Ms Kyarubingo says she started calling Byaruhanga’s friends, including Mr Didus Kiiza, who she reached out to at about 3am. He said he too had been searching for Byaruhanga at Buhanda Police Station.
“Police are not committed to giving us justice. They promise to come to our communities to make investigations but have never showed up,” the mother of five says.
This newspaper reported the death of two unidentified people in November 26, 2019, whose bodies were discovered without heads in Kikoyo Forest.A week earlier, the Ntoroko District NRM chairman, Vincent Mugume, and a boda boda rider were also killed by unknown people in Tooro Semliki game reserve.
SecurityMr Robert Itwara Kamasaka, the former Kamwenge District chairperson, calls for security beefing in the area, saying security agencies know the criminals but cannot adequately act on them.
He says more than 10 people have been killed in the last 10 months and cites boda boda cyclists as prime targets by killers.
“The root causes of the killings are linked to unchecked intake of marijuana by young people who don’t like to work but enjoy drinking alcohol. When such criminals are reported and arrested, cases are not concluded. Is it because police lack investigating capacity? Some of security personnel have been reportedly compromised,” Mr Kamasaka says.
However, the officer-in-charge of Kitagwenda Police Station, Mr Ronald Nsabumukiza, says they are dealing with the insecurity in the area.He says boda boda riders with new motorcycles are the main targets.
“No recoveries have been made so far, but we have noted a history of criminality linked to new motorcycle owners. Some of the murders are linked to domestic violence,” Mr Nsabumukiza says.
He says they are undertaking efforts to secure areas such as Kikoyo forest where they will deploy a Field Force Unit patrol.
