Mpigi sets up probe into witchcraft

A man passes by Mpigi District education department offices last week. PHOTO BY SADAT MBOGO

MPIGI- Mpigi District authorities have appointed a committee to investigate allegations of some civil servants in the education department being involved in witchcraft for job security.
The five-member inquiry is headed by Mr Michael Lutalo, the district assistant chief administrative officer in charge of health and education.

The team is expected to release its findings in two weeks.
The resolution to set up the committee was endorsed by councillors during a council meeting last week.

This comes after the deputy District Inspector of Schools, Ms Grace Nanziri, claimed that her colleague, Mr David Mutyaba, was bewitching her through another woman.
Mr Mutyaba is the officer in charge of Special Needs Education.

In her statement at police, Ms Nanziri claimed that Mr Mutyaba had planted fetishes on her office door to instigate her sacking.

A security guard at the district education department, who preferred anonymity, claims that he caught a woman in the wee hours of November 21 pouring suspicious substances on the door of Ms Nanziri’s office.

He further claimed she poured the same substances near the office of the District Education Officer.

Police arrested the accused woman, who is a teacher at Mpigi UMEA Primary School, but charged her with criminal trespass. She was later produced in Mpigi Magistrate’s Court and released on bail.

“Police does not believe that witchcraft exists and we cannot charge a suspect basing on allegations,” said Mr Joseph Musana, the police public relations officer for Katonga Region.
Ms Nanziri also claims that this was not the first time suspicious substances were dropped at her office door.

She said last month she found strange herbs and blood stains in front of her office door.
“I informed my boss (district education officer) because I could not understand what was going on in the department,” she said.

School speaks
Mr Nuhu Buyinza, the head-teacher of Mpigi UMEA Primary School, where the suspect teaches, said the latter had tainted the school image and asked education authorities to take appropriate action.

“Teachers should always follow their professional ethics and be exemplary,” Mr Buyinza said.
He said the deep-rooted belief in witchcraft is hindering local community development.

The district education officer, Mr David Ssekyole, said all those who will be found culpable in the committee’s report will be punished accordingly. “I will not hesitate to recommend the interdiction of the culprits,” he said.

When contacted, Mr Mutyaba laughed off the witchcraft allegations. He dismissed them as mere propaganda.

“They are just trying to destroy my reputation in public, but everything has a beginning and an end. Even this one shall come to an end,” he said.