A gang headed by the Nyenje LCI Chairperson Edward Kabombo and 15 others on police wanted list for slashing the same old woman’s food crops last month, returned on Friday and vandalized her house damaging windows, removing the back door threatening to kill her with her grand children before she was rescue by the community. The attackers were armed with machete, hoes and sticks.
Judith Kizza, a 77-year-old widow to the late Samuel Wamala of Nyenje,
Goma Division Mukono Municipality has deserted her house where she has stayed
for 58 years choosing to sleep at one of her in-law’s place following attacks
from land grabbers claiming her land.
A gang headed by the Nyenje LCI Chairperson Edward Kabombo and 15 others on police wanted list for slashing the same old woman’s food crops last
month, returned on Friday and vandalized her house damaging windows, removing
the back door threatening to kill her and the grand children before she was
rescue by the community. They were armed with machete, hoes and sticks.
Although the
office of Mukono Resident District Commissioner directed
police to investigate all the illegal activities on the land and make arrests
of the suspects in connection with crimes committed, Nyenje residents claim
suspects are still moving freely at the village.
The LCI
chairperson and the other 15 people who include members from the family of late Byekola Muwonge, a brother to Kizza's late husband and Ronald Bizibu destroyed crops which included banana,
coffee, cassava, fruits and sweet plantains on plots of land close to 2 acres
intending to evict the widow so as to sell the land.
URN has observed several other rental apartments near Kizza’s house that were
destroyed by the attackers while fighting against community members who were trying
to rescue the old woman. In the fight, Amos Gona sustained serious injuries on the
head.
//Cue in: “Nga batandika kuba...
Cue out: ...nti tuli babbi”//
URN established from the RDC Fatumah Ndisaba that attackers knew that
the old woman had no title on land, so they thought they could evict her and
sell off the land.
However, RDC’s office office was able to establish that she
genuinely got the land from her late husband Samuel Wamala.
Amos Gona, a survivor of the attacks says the gang was determined to kill
the old woman together with her grandchildren.
//Cue in: “Kati babadde...
Cue out: ...nakuba olugi”//
Richard Musoke, a relative to Kizza accuses police for conniving with the
gang to torture helpless people in the area.
//Cue in: “Abasajja abo...
Cue out: …ate akomawo wano eno”//
Humphery Kyasa, the Goma Division Chairperson attributes the recurrent
attacks against the old woman to reluctance by police officers to follow up and
arrest the suspects. He notes that slow response creates mob justice.
However, Mukono Divisional Officer in Charge Ismael Kifude says they are
on high alert to arrest the culprits. He notes that they have lately arrested Derrick
Bukenya, in connection to the attacks.
