Mother, daughter killed in land dispute

Manafwa

Shock gripped residents of Manafwa District after a mother and her daughter were killed and their bodies dumped in a river following a suspected land dispute.

The victims, both residents of Makenya A village in Bukokho Sub-county, were killed on Saturday night. Residents, armed with machetes, stones and clubs, reportedly stormed the village of the suspected killers, burnt homes and cut down two acres of coffee and banana plantations.

By the time police arrived at the scene of the crime, the locals had fled into Kenya.

Mr Richard Walukana, the sub-county vice chairperson, told the Daily Monitor that the suspects hacked the girl to death after they realised that she was watching them while they were strangling her mother.

Mr Walukana said the deceased and her husband had been involved in a long-standing wrangle over a piece of land with a relative, adding that local council authorities had tried to resolve the matter last year. “The late bought the land, but after few days, the same family which sold her the land started claiming for it,” he said. “As local council, we convened a meeting and the deceased decided to leave the place for another area but kept asking for a refund,” Mr Walukana added.

The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Henry Nalyanya, condemned the killing and warned residents against taking the law into their hands.
“This act is criminal and the suspects must be arrested to face the law. We have a big problem in our district because our own leaders are conniving with criminals to rob and kill innocent people and then flee to Kenya for refuge. This must stop,” Mr Nalyanya said.

He said one suspect has been arrested in connection with the deaths, adding that investigations into the matter are ongoing.

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