Mystery surrounds artiste Ziggy Wyne’s death

The disappearance, reoccurrence and eventual death of musician Michael Kalinda also known as Ziggy Wyne, has elicited unanswered questions among members of his family, friends and the Ugandan population.

Ziggy, 29, an artiste, IT technician and Social Media Blogger, was pronounced dead on Sunday night at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he had been admitted after being dumped by yet to be identified people.

At the time of his admission, Ziggy had severe burns on his body, some of his fingers had been chopped off and his left eye reportedly plucked out. However, the masterminds of the brutality and their motive remain unknown.

During the vigil organized at Meeting Point near the deceased’s home in Ganda, Wakiso district last evening, Ms Immaculate Nalwadda, a sister to the deceased said they last talked to Ziggy on July 21, informing him about a family meeting in Bukoto. She said by that time he was moving from Kawempe and sounded fine, but never showed up for the meeting and family members thought that he was just held up by some small issues. It never occurred to them that Wyne, a member of the Fire Base Crew, was in trouble.

Ms Nalwadda added that they became suspicious when days elapsed without a word from her brother.
His calls were going unanswered and his whereabouts were unknown, even among his close associates.

However, Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga says that a person only identified as Mugarura reported a missing person after six days, but declined to record a statement with police.

Enanga says the late reporting and the fact that no information in the form of a statement was availed to police slowed investigation into the matter. He argues that such cases should be reported as soon a the family notices that someone is missing.

"There are different circumstances under which people disappear, there are those that are kidnapped either with intent to murder or to procure ransom. Any form of disappearance under whatever circumstance has to be reported immediately," Enanga says.

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In contrast with Mr Enanga, Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona said that although police were alerted late about the incident, they still had an opportunity to arrest whoever dumped him at Mulago Casualty Ward.

"The Mulago Hospital casuality ward is guarded by Police where by when you take an accident victim, you are held and asked to explain where and how you found the victim. Therefore this whole incident raises suspicions," Mr Sseggona said.

Police have since started reviewing the CCTV footage from Mulago to tracing images that could reveal how the victim was brought and abandoned at the hospital.

At the vigil, some people, including family members insinuated that his link to the People Power Pressure Group, led by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu could have cost his life.

A number of friends and relatives also hinted on a contested property with a soldier, whose identities are still unknown.

“Although we suspect that he might have been picked up by security agents, there is another possibility that his property might have landed him in trouble,” a family friend identified as Alex Waiswa said.

The widow, only identified as Hilda was barred from commenting about the same, as she tried to expound on the alleged conflict between Zigy Wyne and a soldier.
One of the relatives grabbed her hand while stating “Ebyo bireke, t’obyogerako” loosely translated as don’t comment on that.