My daughter received death threats, says mother of woman killed in Kawempe apartment fire

Mr John Kaana and his wife Constance Ntegyerize hold the portraits of their deceased daughter Patricia Arinda at the family home in Rwamukundi Cell, Kabale Municipality on January 16, 2022. PHOTO/ ROBERT MUHEREZA

What you need to know:

  •  Arinda was buried on Sunday in Rwamukundi cell, Kabale municipality after a Mass at Kirigime Roman Catholic church located in Kabale Town.
  • Ms Constance Ntegyereize, Arinda’s mother, wondered why the father of Kaitesi did not attend the burial ceremony on Sunday. Kaitesi’s father is her brother. 
  • Parents of the victim have demanded for justice and compensation

Ms Constance Ntegyereize, the mother of Patricia Arinda, has revealed  her daughter faced two life-threatening incidents months before she died in the Kawempe fire last week.
Arinda, 24, died last Thursday in an inferno at Ms Susan Kaitesi’s home together with a 27-year-old man only identified as Kajumba. The incident happened in Kawempe Zone A in Kawempe Division, Kampala. 
Ms Kaitesi and Arinda were cousin sisters.
Arinda’s mother, Ms Ntegyereize, told this publication in a recent interview that she had previously told her of two life-threatening incidents. 

“My deceased daughter told me that some people attempted to push her into Lake Victoria during a boat cruise as she celebrated her birthday last year. She also told me that in December last year, a man attempted to kill her at the gate of her residence in Kampala,” she said.
The teary mother added: ‘My daughter told me that she suspected her cousin sister Susan Kaitesi to be behind the two incidents because she was not happy with her all the time.”
Ms Ntegyereize said  her next course of action is to pitch camp in Kampala to closely monitor the investigations into Arinda’s death. She wants to follow the proceedings at police and in the courts of law. 

She said she has already interacted with her niece, Kaitesi.  “At the police station where she was detained, I asked her whether she had a conflict with my daughter over a boyfriend and she said they never had such a conflict. Then when I asked her why she opted to kill her cousin sister, she replied saying that she did not know what happened,”Ms Ntegyereize added.
Arinda was buried on Sunday in Rwamukundi cell, Kabale municipality after a Mass at Kirigime Roman Catholic church located in Kabale Town.

 Mourners witnessed Mr Edward Byarugaba, the catechist, sprinkling holy water on the grave of Patricia Arinda after the special prayers on January 18 in Kabale Municipality. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA


On Wednesday, church leaders, friends, and relatives gathered in prayer at Arinda’s home to mark the end of the mourning period. 
But the relatives of the suspected killer, Ms Susan Kaitesi, did not turn up. 

The catechist at Kirigime Catholic church, Mr Edward Byarugaba, presided over the prayers. He urged Arinda’s parents to seek God for spiritual healing and blessings instead of cursing those who caused her death.
“Lets us all offer special prayers to God to forgive the deceased in case of any sin committed before she died and also pray for her soul to rest in eternal peace. ”
Her father, Mr John Kaana, thanked friends, relatives and well-wishers for their support following Arinda’s death.   
“For now I am sure all of you know what took place and my duty today (yesterday) is to thank you for the support rendered to my family during this time of mourning my daughter. May the good Lord, our God, reward you abundantly.  Join us in prayer so that the soul of my daughter rests in eternal peace,” Mr Kaana said.

However, Ms Constance Ntegyereize, Arinda’s mother, wondered why the father of Kaitesi did not attend the burial ceremony on Sunday. Kaitesi’s father is her brother. 
Ms Ntegyereize said she was puzzled by her brother’s behaviour when Arinda died. 
“My brother William Kaganda is the father to the suspected killer of my daughter. He is the one who called my husband. He explained that our daughter died in an inferno at her daughter’s residence. Since then he has never called us, not even sending a condolence message. Even none of his family members attended the burial ceremony,” Ms Ntegyereize said.