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Home Of Rakai Murder Victims Abandoned

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The home of the nine family members who were brutally killed in Rakai District is now deserted, more than 10 months after the gruesome incident.
Pastor Steven Mugambe\'s deserted home in Kyebe Sub County, Rakai District.
The home of the nine family members who were brutally killed in Rakai District is now deserted, more than 10 months after the gruesome incident.

 

The incident happened on January 13 at Kanabulemu village in Kyebe Sub-county and captured national attention.

 

The deceased included Pastor Steven Mugambe of Kyebe Pentecostal Church, his wife Noeline Nalinya, Bena Nakivumbi, Jane Nakiwala, Christine Nasimbwa, Max Nakirijja, Dan Ssemwanga, Andrew Mpeirwe and Maria Nakajugo Musanya.

 

The survivors included Julius Kilyowa, Josephine Naiga and Margie Namugambe all below 15 years of age and Ronald Mbazira 18.  Kilyowa was hacked on the head and left for dead.

 

Almost a year after the incident all family members have deserted the late Pastor Mugambe’s house. When URN visited Kanabulemu village this week, the house was abandoned and in the bush. An overgrown bush is all one sees in what was Pastor Mugambe’s compound. The entire plot on which the house sits is currently over grown with tall grass and mounds that breed rats and snakes.

 

According to local residents, the home was abandoned on January 15, just two days after the incident.

 

Peter Muwawu, the Kanabulemu village chairperson, says that none of the survivors or other family members stayed to look after the house. He explains that several complaints about the same have been lodged yet residents especially neighbours fear to slash grass claiming the spirits of the slain victims could attack them.

 

Charles Njuba, the Kyebe Sub-county councillor, says the residents fear the home and no one has bothered to clear the bush.

 

Njuba adds that no relative was left to look after the home and residents fear the place might be used by wrong doers. He further says all the survivors were taken to different relatives and guardians in Kyakatebe, Masaka, Kampala and Jinja, making it difficult to trace them.

 

Joseph Ssenkubuge, whose wife Max Nakirijja was among the victims, confirmed that all relatives agreed to share the responsibility of taking care of the orphans to avoid leaving the burden to one family.

 

Family members and residents still wait for justice ten months on, as police is yet to find and arrest the killers. In July this year, the Uganda Police Force released a photograph of a suspected serial killer identified as Fred Mujulizi who’s believed to have been behind a number of murders in Rakai district including that of the Mugambe family.

 

The same person is also suspected to have organized similar murders in other parts of Rakai and Kyanamukaaka in Masaka district.

 

At least 22 people have been killed in Rakai district alone since the beginning of the year. The latest attack happened in July when Charles Yiga and his wife Maureen Namata were attacked and killed in Sagala village, Kasaali Sub-county.

 

Nelson Sooma, the District Police Commander, attributes the killings to land wrangles and failed relationships. He explains that they are still investigating Kyebe incident adding that they will arrest the killers however complex the matter may appear.