The mood in districts of Bukomansimbi and Lwongo is still sombre as residents and families mourn their loved ones who were murdered in the New Year’s attacks in the areas.
On Wednesday, President Yoweri Museveni visited and assured residents as well as families of the victims of the New Year attacks in Lwengo and Bukomansimbi districts in Greater Masaka area, that claimed four lives and injured a dozen more, that government will do all it can to apprehend the perpetrators of those ruthless murders and make them face justice.
Speaking to the public at a rally held at Kyamabaale Primary School grounds in Kibinge Sub-County in Bokomansimbi district yesterday after visiting and extending his condolences to all the families that lost their dear ones, the President said that government will overcome the wave of crime that characterised 2017 that cost the country many lives.
Criminals who were armed with sticks and machetes attacked Kabukolwa village in Kingo Sub-County in Lwengo district killing 23-year-old Herman Kayemba Gonzaga on New Year’s eve. They later attacked Kyamabale village in Kibinge Sub-County, Bukomansimbi district and murdered 65-year old retired Senior Superintendent of Police, Denis Lumala Sebugwawo, 40-year old Nantale Jane and 15-year old Bosco Selemba besides injuring a dozen more in the attack.
President Museveni said that those bandits, who kill innocent Ugandans in cold blood, will be defeated just like the criminals of the Lord’s Resistance Army, the Allied Democratic Forces and the Karimajong cattle rustlers were defeated. He explained to the people that as the major causes of insecurity in the country in the past had been largely armed rebel groups, the government put a lot of energies into defeating them and pacifying the country and as a result, Uganda is entirely peaceful.
He, however, admitted that the new wave of urban crime has posed new challenges to the government and security agencies but assured the population that this too will be defeated through a combination of use of technology such as installation of cameras on streets and high ways and partnership between security agencies and wananchi. He called for vigilance by the population because the Police can’t be everywhere. He, therefore, advised the population to do all it could to alert the Police whenever there is any detection of attacks. He also directed the Police to decentralise policing services by putting their services closer to the people.
President Museveni also promised to sort out the reported weaknesses within the Police Force especially some infiltration by criminal gangs.
The Ministers of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Hon. Vincent Ssempijja and of State for Youth, Hon. Nakiwala Kiyingi and the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura, accompanied the President to Lwengo and Bukomansimbi districts.
