Jinja Residents Fall Victim to Violent Attacks as Thugs Exploit Festive Season

As the Christmas season approaches, concerns about rising criminal activity have intensified, with security officials on high alert to combat wrongdoers who take advantage of the festive period. This time of year, often described as the "bad days," sees an increase in attacks not only in urban centers but also in rural areas.  

Jacob Kawanguzi, a 44-year-old Special Hire Driver in Jinja City, became a victim of a horrifying attack by unknown individuals at his home in Busige, Namulesa, located in the Northern Jinja City Division. Kawanguzi, who nearly lost his life during the vicious assault, still reflects on the fateful day he faced off against the attackers, whose identities remain unknown to him.

“They got me just as I was about to enter my house to sleep around 8 pm. I can’t tell how one of them grabbed me, slammed me to the ground, and began beating me mercilessly,” Kawanguzi recalls. The attack, which occurred on November 13, 2024, left Kawanguzi unconscious, and he later regained consciousness in a health facility. It took him almost four days to recover his full senses.

“I remember there were about four people, but during the struggle, I screamed for help, but it went unheard,” he said. What disturbs Kawanguzi even more is that the attackers reportedly questioned him about his wife’s whereabouts. He believes the thugs knew him and his movements very well.

Kawanguzi, who is struggling economically, is still unclear about what the attackers wanted from him. He explained that his wife, Suzan Nakafero, had recently left for the United Kingdom in search of capital. “They were asking about my wife. I don’t want to say they were after her, but whatever their intentions were, I thank God that I’m still alive,” he said.

He added, “Maybe they thought I had money because she went to the UK. If they were after my wife, that’s another matter.” After recovering, Kawanguzi reported the incident to Mafubira Police Station, where officers promised thorough investigations to bring the culprits to justice.

Meanwhile, the Kiira Regional Police have vowed to intensify security efforts to crack down on criminal elements terrorizing residents in Jinja City and surrounding areas. Earlier this week, a boda boda rider was murdered by unknown individuals who also fled with his motorcycle, a Bajaj Boxer. 

Willy Isabirye, a 21-year-old rider from Mawaito Village in Buwenge Sub-county, Jinja District, was killed on Friday, December 6, 2024. His lifeless body was discovered near Mailo-Mbili in Jinja City. Isabirye, who had recently sat for the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams at Nile High School in Wairaka, had been working hard to save money for the next academic year.