New diocese, FDC celebrates as accidents, murders are recorded

The passing year. There were accidents, murders and disease, but there was also celebration and political success in Ankole/Kigezi.

As the curtain falls on 2012, the year leaves people in Ankole and Kigezi sub-regions with memories of gruesome murders, fatal accidents, epidemics and refugee influx from DR Congo.
For Anglicans in Ntungamo, the year began on a good note. On January 8, the South Ankole Diocese headquartered at Kyamate was born, becoming the 34th Church of Uganda diocese. It was carved out of Ankole and West Ankole dioceses.

Rt. Rev. Nathan Ahimbisibwe, 45, was installed as the bishop and promised to build a hospital in the diocese and revive other projects such as schools and health centres that have been neglected.
President Museveni, who donated a new vehicle to the bishop, said the new diocese was in line with the decentralisation policy of bringing services closer to the people and urged the new bishop to help people grow spiritually, physically and economically.

Defilement & embezzlement
However, in the same month a retired clinical officer in Ntungamo aged 67, was arrested for allegedly defiling and impregnating a 17-year- old imbecile. He allegedly defiled her from her home where he used to go to treat her and other family members. The suspect was charged with aggravated defilement.
In February, Dr Tryphon Mugisha of Itojo hospital in Ntungamo was arrested and suspended for allegedly embezzling Shs20 million meant for a cervical cancer project.

Tayebwa dances & refugees flee DRC
June brought smiles on the faces of opposition leaders in Ankole. Mr Odo Tayebwa (FDC) was elected MP Ishaka Bushenyi Municipality, becoming the first opposition MP from the sub-region. He defeated three other candidates including NRMs Nasser Basajjabalaba who had been ejected by the High Court over electoral malpractice.

Mr Robert Rukurwe Bwarare came third while Mr Ismail Kikurwe was the last. All earlier political pursuits by the FDC in the area at parliamentary level had been fruitless which the party members blamed on cheating and intimidation by the ruling NRM party.

In July, fighting ensued between M23 rebels and DR Congo government in the eastern part of the country, triggering the exodus of civilians into Uganda, especially in Kisoro District. The fighting which went on for months saw more than 30,000 Congolese fleeing into Uganda with over 6,000 government soldiers fleeing from fire to the Ugandan border.

“Our contingency plan for southwestern border- both government and UNHCR was looking at 30,000 refugees this year, now they are 26,500 mid way the year and more are still coming,” Mr David Kazungu, the Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister, said then.

July was not a good month for relatives and friends of a budding businessman in Mbarara, Denis Murangira, 30, who was killed. He was a resident of Nyakaizi Cell, Kakoba Division and his body was found in their family car in Bwenkoma Village, Kakiika Sub-county, more than 10 kilometers from his home.

The death of the taxi and hardware dealer sparked off rumours that his business rivals were behind his demise. Ten people, including businessmen Hajj Bakyase and Idris Katende with whom he was competing for Mbarara Taxi Park tender, were arrested to help in investigations. They were later released.

Land conflicts reign
A witchdoctor called Bwambale Ssalongo and three of his workers were arrested as suspects after it emerged that a man, identified as Murangira, gave him money so that he could make him rich. When Murangira didn’t realise any results, he began pushing the witchdoctor for a positive outcome.

Mr Bwambale then allegedly gave Murangira chemicals that weakened him and one of his employees allegedly hit him [Murangira] to death. Murangira’s body was later exhumed and a postmortem confirmed the presence of chemicals in his body. The witch-doctor and three others are facing trial over murder.

More murder cases were registered in September. South Western Police Commander Martin Abilu said most of the cases were related to family conflicts, especially feud over property and unemployment. On September 11, Margaret Mahuruba, 70, her three grandchildren and a housemaid were attacked from their home in Kihunda Village in Kagango Sub-county in Sheema District and burnt to ashes. Police investigation revealed that the death was a result of a land wrangle in the family.

On September 21, Deus Agaba and his friend Julius Mubangizi were hacked to death at their home in Kishojwa near Katukuru Trading Centre in Rwampara Mbarara. Agaba’s family had a long standing land dispute with the neighbour. Two suspects were arrested and charged with their murder.

Robberies & murders
On September 23, Stephen Batengyeza, his wife Stella Tukundane and their one-and-a-half-year -old daughter Niweweitu Kabare were hacked with machetes in Bunonko Village, Kikatsi Sub-county in Kiruhura District.
The murder was also attributed to a land wrangle. Five members of the family were arrested and charged with murder. Batengyeza was the area chairman.

On September 26, Sam Mugisha, a teacher at Kyamate SS in Ntungamo District, was strangled to death on his way home at 9pm. Police arrested three brothers as prime suspects and the murder was linked to family conflicts.