FILE - Opposition leader and former  presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, speaks  at a news event in Kampala, Uganda, June 14, 2021.

 

By NANGAYI GUYSON

KAMPALA, Uganda — Maria Nakyanzi, 61, a resident of Kyango-Kazo cell in Kasaali Town Council, Kyotera District, was attacked on September 2, 2021 at around 8 p.m. by machete wielding assassins who sliced one of her arms and she is undergoing treatment in Kalisizo Hospital in the southern part of Uganda.

“I had just finished my household chores,” Nakyanzi told IEA over the phone through her son Chris Mussengabi. I was sweeping the compound at 7:00 p.m. when I began to feel huge blows to the head, which forced me to fall to the ground, and this man began cutting me with the intention of slicing off my head. I simply used my hands to defend myself. After several minutes of struggling, I believe he concluded I was dead and abandoned me. I was bleeding too much and my neighbors found in a pool of blood. They came to my rescue, which is why I'm in the hospital.”

Joan Nalubega, 38, a resident of Kimanya B, Kimaanya- Kabonera constituency in Masaka City, was also killed in a separate incident on the same night by machete wielding assassins. They gravely injured the baby she was carrying on her back.

In an earlier incident on August 26, Madi Mulindwa, 47, was assassinated at his new house in Kisaaka Village, Kimaanya –Kabonera Division, Masaka City, on the border of Masaka and the districts of Lwengo and Bukomansimbi which was still under construction by machete wielding assassins.

"The killers attacked Kisaaka at around 10:30pm," stated Robert Mukasa. They chopped him to death."

“Some of our people are fleeing to neighboring districts since the situation is getting worse by the day, and we don't see security officers in our areas,” Mukasa told IEA on a phone interview. 

The incidents stated above, which Mohammed Nsubuga, the Southern Regional Spokesman have confirmed, are just a few of many.

“Yes, all of these attacks have occurred,” he told IEA, “but we're working closely with sister security organizations to ensure the area is protected and the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Ugandan Authorities confirmed that unknown machete-wielding assailants have killed at least 30 people within the months of July and August in central and southern parts of the eastern African country.

The motives behind these attacks are unknown, leaving Ugandans fearful and with many concerns about could be these attackers. But President Museveni, on the other hand, has accused the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan rebel group with Islamist roots operating in eastern DRC, of being behind plans and orders to kill Ugandans, and has said he is in talks with his DRC counterpart, President Felix Tshisekedi, to allow Ugandan forces to attack them. 

“The planning and orders for killing our people are coming from the terrorists in Eastern Congo,” Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni remarked on August 26 during the funeral of Lt Gen Paul Lokech, also known as the lion of Mogadishu. We're still talking to HE Felix Tshisekedi on how to get rid of that cancer.” Adding that that he will meet with UNSC members to discuss measures to deal with the ADF threat, stating that it was inappropriate for the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC (MONUSCO) to coexist with the terrorist organization.

“Our soldiers are prepared to assist in the eradication of these parasites. We just need the Congolese government's approval,” he explained.

Showing his determination to invade Eastern Congo in search for the rebels, a very quick meeting with United Nations Security Council was arranged and on September 2, 2021, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni held a consultative meeting at State House in Entebbe with the five Ambassadors representing the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council which he later described as fruitful. 

On the same topic, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will address the nation next week about the crime epidemic in Masaka City driven by machete-wielding bandits known locally as “Kijjambiya”.

The Ugandan Police have Charged two members of parliament in connection to the rampant machete-wielding attacks.

The director Criminal Investigations Paul Kato Tumuhimbise, confirmed to IEA that police on August 3, 2021 summoned politicians Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West) in connection with the larger Masaka murders and have since been charged with murder and terrorism charges. 

“We found it necessary to summon the two Members of Parliament to help us in the investigations. It’s too early to talk about which cases they have but I can confirm to you that we summed them” He told IEA. 

Muhammed Ssegirinya, a Kawempe North Member of Parliament (MP), has expressed surprise at police summons in connection with murders. 

“I'm outraged that the cops are dragging me into murders like this. I was in the Netherlands for the last three weeks and only returned on September 3. I've never been to a location where people are being killed. I'm not sure why they've summoned me.

Ssegirinya told IEA, "This is merely a political witch hunt." “The regime of President Museveni used to blackmail political opponents. If you disagree with them, they will do everything they can to pull you into a high-profile case so that you become their prisoner or your reputation is destroyed. I'm perplexed that someone can turn against the people who have asked to vote for him and begin chopping them up. “I have no idea what the cops are talking about, but I will go there and listen to what they have to say,” Allan Ssewanyana Member of Parliament for Makindye west in the Capital Kampala told IEA earlier before his arrest.

MPs Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Sewanyana of the National Unity Platform (NUP) were charged with three charges of murder and one count of attempted murder before the Masaka Magistrates court, according to their lawyer Elias Lukwago.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been accused of terrorizing the Greater Masaka region for rejecting him in previous elections, according to opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine. He claims that every time a region rejects Museveni in an election, bloodshed ensues, as seen in Acholi and Kasese, among other places.

Bobi Wine also said that the murders in the Greater Masaka region are part of Museveni's attempt to discredit political opponents and persuade people to back the regime.

"Those who know Museveni and how he operates would not be surprised if the entire purpose of these homicides is to blame political rivals and sow dread in the region and country” Bobi wine told IEA. 

Because of the escalating killings of people in the area by Machete-wielding assailants, Kira municipality member of Parliament Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda believes that the Ugandan government has failed to provide enough security to the residents of the greater Masaka region and the surrounding districts, and has advised the government to give out guns to the people of Masaka to protect themselves.

 

Forum Democratic Change’s Secretary General Ssemujju Nganda raised the subject on the floor of Parliament on the 31st of August plenary session, expressing his concern to save the lives of Masaka citizens who are losing their lives on a regular basis, adding that the government is taking the situation for granted while people are dying.

“If it had been a protest, commandos would have been deployed all over the place, but this shows that power is more important in Uganda than people's lives; when there were problems in northern Uganda, people were asked to form groups, moved from arrows, and given guns; if people holding guns are unable to protect the people of Uganda, let people be given guns and protect themselves," Ssemujju informed Parliament.

Ugandans, have been disillusioned by security organizations, which claimed to have security under control when people are continuing to be killed. The country's military announced on Friday 26 August, 2021, that a suspected suicide bomber who was intending to attack the funeral of a key army commander had been apprehended in northern Uganda.

The suspect, Katumba Abdul aka Ben, was apprehended during an operation in the Pader district, according to the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF).

According to UPDF spokesman Brig. Flavia Byekwaso, the suspect had a variety of explosive devices in his possession, including ball bearings, detonators, switches, and suicide vests.