Fear grips city as armed gangs strike

An illustration showing criminal machete-wielding gangs attacking residents at night. Illustrations by Cosmo Arinitwe

KAMPALA. Residents in the city suburbs are living in fear following the rising cases of house break-ins by gangs armed with machetes, bricks, axes, hammers and other crude weapons.
The terrifying incidents have been reported in residential areas of Kampala City and the neighbouring sprawling suburbs of Kireka, Bweyogerere, Najjeera and Mbalwa in Kira Town Council, Wakiso District.

Similar incidents have also been reported in the Konge-Lukuli-Nanganda area, Namuwongo and Kisugu, all suburbs of Kampala, and in Nansana, Maganjo and Kagoma in Wakiso District. Other affected areas are Kajjansi, Salaama, Ndejje-Lubugumu and Najjanankumbi on the Kampala-Entebbe highway.
According to victims in Mbalwa village, the armed gangs are increasingly becoming bolder and calmly knock on victims’ doors ordering them to willingly open and let them in lest they break in.
According to victims, those who refuse to open their doors as ordered get their door glass shattered before the gangs force open the locks, beat up the occupants, and rob home appliances, laptops, mobile phones and money.

One of the victims, whose identity Daily Monitor could not disclose for fear of victimisation, said the police officers under the neighbourhood watch programme met them yesterday afternoon over the increasing cases of break-ins.
Mr Asan Kasingye, the police spokesman, said they have been investigating the spate of attacks and several suspects have been arrested, especially in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District.
“We have several suspects at Kira Division Police…details will be given to you on Monday,” Mr Kasingye said.
Yesterday, the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, was also expected to visit Kampala South police region headquarters at Kibuye Township on Entebbe Road over the spate of violent robberies.

An illustration showing scared residents after criminal gangs dropped terror messages in their area.


In Kampala City areas of Makindye and Kawempe divisions, and Nansana Municipality in Wakiso District where residences are close to each other, the criminals strike in the dead of the night when the victims are asleep.

The victims only get to know about the break-ins in the morning when they find their doors flung open and mobile phones and home appliances stolen.
Mr Eston Atusingwize, the officer in charge (OC) of Konge Police in Makindye Division, said the thieves pick the padlock put on locally made iron door.
“Thieves know that many people just close the door with a bolt inside but don’t use padlocks. So when the thieves come, they either use master keys to open the outside padlock on the bracket or they cut it,” Mr Atusingwize said. He said this creates space between the flap and door hole and the thugs then push a wire with a hanger through the space created until it has unhooked the bolt.
They then drag the bolt up and down till the door is opened, he said.
He said residents should have three padlocks on their iron doors; one from the inside and should lock the bolt to prevent thieves from unbolting using a wire, and the second should padlock the plate that covers door gap. The third padlock should be locked on the same door plate outside, he said.
Mr Atusingwize said other criminals move with six-kilogramme gas cylinder and cutting torch, which they use to cut burglar-proof in bathrooms to gain access into the house.
Last month, police in Buziga, a city suburb, arrested one Komagunhi, who had used the same tools to break in and steal laptops.
“The suspect has since been taken to court and charged with aggravated robbery,” he said.

How gangs break into houses

In Kampala City areas of Makindye and Kawempe divisions, and Nansana Municipality in Wakiso District where residences are close to each other, the criminals strike in the dead of the night when the victims are asleep. The victims only get to know about the break-ins in the morning when they find their doors flung open and mobile phones and home appliances stolen. Mr Eston Atusingwize, the officer in charge (OC) of Konge Police in Makindye Division, said the thieves pick the padlock put on locally made iron door. “Thieves know that many people just close the door with a bolt inside but don’t use padlocks. So when the thieves come, they either use master keys to open the outside padlock on the bracket or they cut it,” Mr Atusingwize said. He said this creates space between the flap and door hole and the thugs then push a wire with a hanger through the space created until it has unhooked the bolt. They then drag the bolt up and down till the door is opened, he said.