Iron bar wielding thugs kill six in Mukono 10 Min from Kampala

By Eddie Ssejjoba and Francis Kagolo IRON-bar killers are on rampage again. The thugs have killed six people and injured several others in Mukono district within three weeks, causing fear among residents. The thugs target mostly boda boda riders and women working in markets, whom they waylay at night. Yesterday morning, a prominent Mukono florist, Godfrey Gamwanga, became the latest victim. The killers, who reportedly move in groups, attacked Gamwanga at about 5:00am as he walked to his workplace in Ntaawo zone in Mukono town, where he operates a nursery bed of flowers and trees. According to the Goma LC3 chairman, Erisha Mukasa Nkoyooyo, who was among the first people at the scene of crime, the gang hit Gamwanga with a metallic object. Gamwanga's body was found near Kob Medical Care, a few metres from his home. Besides being neighbours, Nkoyoyo and Gamwanga were friends. Nkoyoyo said the killers went away with Gamwanga's two cell phones, and an unspecified amount of money. Residents said several people had been attacked in a similar way and six of them killed. They blamed the Police for not providing enough security as the festive season approaches. "We wonder why the Police are deployed in areas that have no problems, leaving the most dangerous unattended to," a resident said. Others killed in the past three weeks include 20-year-old Violet Nalubwama, a student of Kampala University. She was killed on December 1, near Rider Hotel in Seeta. Residents said they heard her screaming and found her body in a trench with deep cuts on the head. Henry Kabuubi, 29, a resident of Kisenyi-Namiryango village in Seeta, was killed on December 13 and his body dumped on a railway line. Residents suspected that he was attacked over a sh50,000 note he had during the day. Also killed during the same period was Saba Munyanwali, a bodaboda rider, at Mukono Taxi Park. He was stabbed in the stomach. In addition, Nalongo Namusisi, was struck at Kitega near Wantoni market in Mukono town as she went to work in the morning. The iron bar killers also murdered Reagan Amanya, another bodaboda rider in Seeta town, and took off with his motorcycle. Other victims survived, but are still nursing wounds. These include Jackson Sseremba, a builder based in Mukono town, who was hit as he walked to Seeta town in the morning. Moses Lubulwa and Moses Muhumuza, both bodaboda riders, are still undergoing treatment after they were hit and their motorcycles taken. Steven Lutalo and John Nkugwa also survived by a whisker. Last month, three people were killed and many injured in various towns of Mukono district. Those killed include Josephine Namubiru, who was frying cassava in her stall near Rider Hotel at about 6:00am. The killers went away with her mobile phone and petty cash. Saad Kalyango, a teacher at Vincent Alex Primary School, Dickson Ssentongo, a journalist attached to Prime Radio, were also murdered in a similar way. Seeta Police Police boss Abdul Nasser recently said the Police were holding village meetings to sensitise the public on ways of avoiding such attacks. The Police criminal investigations chief, Edward Ochom, said the criminals were mostly former convicts. A survivor's tale Sam Ejibua, 33, said he was attacked by two iron bar-wielding men at 4:00am on December 11, as he walked to his house in Zone 9, Mutungo, Nakawa Division. He said the attack occurred on his way from a dinner at Hotel Africana. Ejibua added that the thugs took off with his wallet and a Nokia mobile phone. The wallet contained sh250,000, my identity and ATM cards. The iron bar dislodged his molar tooth and broke the nasal bridge. He was saved by a neigbhour, who carried him to a nearby clinic. "I reported the case to Kitintale Police post. The Police said they could not help me, not even to trace my phone. I lost interest in the matter," Ejibua said.