Lives we lost: LC dies while stopping riots
What you need to know:
- Witnesses say the soldiers disembarked and began shooting into a group of protesters. One of the bullets hit Mutyaba as he was standing on the side of the road. He died as he was being taken to hospital.
In the last instalment of this series, we chronicle how bullets prematurely shattered the blooming dreams of dozens during two days of madness last November. In interviews with our reporter, Gillian Nantume, grieving families and friends share the triumphs, travails and final moments of relatives in a way that offers insights into the lives of victims hitherto treated as statistics.
RICHARD MUTYABA
At the time of his death, the 41-year-old was the Local Council chairperson of Kasaala Parish, Luweero Sub-county in Luweero District. His wife Regina Nansubuga says he was very religious. Mutyaba was the head of laity at Kasaala Catholic Parish.
“He was a man who said little but followed his responsibilities as a leader,” she says.
Mutyaba was also a businessman and owned a hardware shop in Kasaala Town, next to the local council office. He and his wife wedded in 2008 and had one child.
On the day he died, Nansubuga said Mutyaba went about his duties. “He left home at 9am and went to his hardware shop. I also left home shortly afterwards to go to the school where I teach. I saw him twice during the day – the first time was at 1pm when I passed by the shop on my way to Luweero Town, and the second time was on my return when I went to greet him again.”
The deceased always closed his hardware shop at 6.30pm and then went to sit in the local council office, which he would close between 7pm to 7.30pm.
“At the time when I was waiting for him to return home, I received a call informing me that he had been shot.’’
When the rioting began in Kampala City, some youths in Kasaala Town also began rioting. They blocked a section of Gulu highway and lit car tyres. As a local leader, Mutyaba tried to stop the youths. He moved into the road and began removing barricades.
Suddenly, at about 7.30pm, a car carrying a government official sped from the direction of Gulu.
Behind the luxury car, there was an army pick-up truck with soldiers. Witnesses say the soldiers disembarked and began shooting into a group of protesters. One of the bullets hit Mutyaba as he was standing on the side of the road. He died as he was being taken to hospital.
Nansubuga says the police have since visited her home twice to ask her how she got to know about her husband’s death. However, no one has talked to her about getting justice.
