Robina Naluwu, the Kaganda parish councillor, says that the recent murders that seem to largely target people of advanced age have bred a lot of fear among residents prompting some of them to flee their homes.
Several
elderly persons in Lwengo district have fled their homes following threats of
attack by unknown assailants. At least seven homes in Kyoko, Mirembe and Kaganda villages in Kingo sub-county Lwengo
district have been abandoned due to the apparent state of fear caused by machete-wielding
assailants who have hacked several people in
recent days.
The owners of the homes fled for dear
lives after the assailants wrote messages on their walls threatening to strike
any time. Robina Naluwu, the Kaganda parish councillor, says that the recent murders that seem to largely target people of advanced age have bred a
lot of fear among residents prompting some of them to flee their homes.
According to Naluwu, some of the senior
citizens have been taken away by their relatives living outside Lwengo district
while those who live in isolated houses are moving in the communities where
they feel relatively safer.
//Cue in: (Luganda)
“abamu mwebali….
Cue out; …..embeera
bw’eneeba engenze,”//
She says despite the heightened security presence
in the area, there is still growing fear among residents especially after they
woke up and found leaflets and their walls
painted with threatening messages on Monday.
“Kabonero Twabaddewo
Burri Nju Jjetulambe Kuno Kusubiza Oba Mwagala Oba Temwagala Tuuja,” reads a
message one of the houses.
Translation: "We have been in Kabonera and each of the houses
we have marked, we promise to come whether or not you want it".
Gerald Kasumba, 79, a resident of Mirembe village and his wife
Christine Nakabogere, 69,
have deserted their home because of
security concerns. The couple is currently spending their nights in
the neighbouring home where they converge and feel a little safer.
Kasumba says that they only return to their home in the morning, saying this has
now become part of their routine until the situation normalizes.
//Cue in: “awaka tukomawo…..
Cue out; …..okubeera
ewaka.”//
Stephen Ssebunya, the Kyoko Village Defense
Secretary says they are now encouraging residents to stay calm owing to the
re-operationalization of night patrols in their areas as an emergency response
to the current
situation.
Ssebunya says that they have instituted
village security teams to complement the police night patrols as a way to
secure the area and restore confidence among residents.
//Cue in: “bwemala okutta….
Cue out; …..gasula
bweru,”//
Muhammad Nsubuga, the Greater Masaka Regional
Police Spokesperson, says that they have identified blackspots where they have increased security deployment. He says that they have got clear leads into their
investigations, adding that soon the situation will normalize.
Thirteen of the 30 suspicious murders that have occurred in the
greater Masaka sub-region occurred in Lwengo district
