Police chief Gen Kale Kayihura has set his bases in Masaka as a lead investigator in the hunt for the panga wielding men who raided villages in Bukomansimbi district and killed 5 people.
Gen Kayihura’s visit comes just a day after five people including a retired Senior Superintendent of Police Denis Ssebugwawo, were killed in cold blood as the suspected thugs attacked families in the districts of Lwengo and Bukomansimbi in the wee hours of the New Year’s Eve.
The attacks came just hours after President Museveni had assured Ugandans of security in his New Year message on Sunday. While, addressing residents in a public meeting held in Kisojjo trading centre, Gen Kayihura assured residents that the attackers will be apprehended and prosecuted.
“As I did in Wakiso I’m to camp here and make sure that first of all, we arrest these assailants and also lay strategy of defending our communities,” he noted. According to the IGP, attacks had ‘no pattern’ and were not targeting specific individuals but could be intended to terrorize the public.
The Southern Regional Police Commander, Latif Zaake, revealed that their preliminary investigations had generated leads that could produce positive results. “During our investigations, we have been able to get links between the lynched suspected attacker and some of the criminals we arrested recently,” Zaake said adding that this may help them track and arrest the suspects.
At least Five People including a retired police officer died on New Year and 12 others were admitted at Masaka regional referral Hospital after being attacked and hacked by unknown thugs in Lwengo and Bukomansimbi districts.
The attacked villages are Kiryasaaka located in Kkingo Sub County in Lwengo district, Kisojjo, Kyabagoma and Kyamabaale in Kibinge Sub County in Bukomansimbi district. Those killed were identified as Denis Ssebugwawo Lumala, a retired police officer who was hacked several times on the head. Others are Jane Nantale, John Sseremba and Gonzaga Kayemba and another unidentified man.
Several residents were blaming the persistence of the attacks to police saying it has failed to control the situation. Gen Kayihura said that he will increase visibility of police officers in the different villages.
