By Asenath Were
Residents of Bugujju-Mukono have raised an alarm on what they say is rising insecurity in the area and have reported incidents of theft and assault. According to them, the thieves have taken to stabbing their victims and stealing valuables including cash, phones, and other items.
One of the victims, a mobile money attendant who preferred to remain anonymous, says she and her husband were attacked on July 8 and were both injured. Her husband, who she says is a security officer with the Uganda Police situated at UCU, is still in the hospital.
“On the Bugujju and Kauga roads, people are cut day and night. Those that do it know we are members of this village because they recently cut another girl in Kauga just as she was entering her home from work,” she said.
Another victim, Roland Asiimwe, a student at UCU, says that on July 24 while on their way to their hostel, he and his friend were attacked as well. Fortunately, he says, they were able to defend themselves and only suffered minor cuts.
“We got attacked by bijambiya guys (machete wielding thugs) in Mukono, we were going to our place. We just got bruises but they just took Elvis’ [his friend] phone and spoilt mine. By God’s mercy we are fine and well,” Asiimwe said.
When these reports were put to ASP Dickens Tar, the officer in charge of UCU and the surrounding communities, he acknowledged that there have been a number of cases and said part of the reason is that the university is surrounded by a harsh environment. He added that when the Police try to find the culprits, the community members are not willing to give them up for fear of becoming victims themselves.
“We made some arrests in 2020–2022, but we have since learnt that this same group of individuals was just freed from prison and have since been attacking the community,” he said.
Tar adds that they have been able to apprehend the individuals who were attacking people with pangas but they are still concerned that they could be granted bail, and return and terrorise the neighbourhood.
“We believe the attacks are planned, they know the places on this road that have security lights so they get the confidence to scan and know where security is far from them. We thus all need to stay vigilant,” he said.
The attacks are not happening for the first time. Residents say this has been ongoing. Bridget Komuhimbo, a journalism student, who finished last semester and is currently awaiting graduation in October, says she has not fully recovered from the time that her room was broken into in 2022.
She says that on that fateful day, she returned to her room after class and found her door wide open and the curtains drawn back. Shocked, she could not understand how anyone could have opened the door, much less rummaged through her luggage.
Komuhimbo claims that all of her electronics, including her gas cooker and UGX240,000 she had accumulated over the course of two months, were taken on that day. “I haven’t replaced those things even up until now,” she said.
“I reported the case to police at UCU and was given a reference card, but I was not helped because they told me that since I had been in the room already, they could not use the dog to try and find the thief. But I was so depressed and scared and my mind froze; I could not run to the police on that very day. I couldn’t sleep in my room for the next few days,” she recalls.
Tar explains that they are dealing with the crimes and asks that the residents and students also do their part. He says that when someone reports an incident, an officer is tasked with looking into it and is asked to visit the scene in order to evaluate the circumstances and report whether more research is necessary. “If we discover that the crime scene has not been tampered with, we bring the dog, as well as remove the fingerprints from the area for additional investigation,” he says.
Tar however warned students about their negligence, saying they move with their phones in plain sight and occasionally leave the school with scammers who later steal from them. He cited the example of a girl who made a friend on Snapchat, and the two planned to meet in a restaurant. The friend asked to use the girl’s phone to make a call before vanishing with it. Going from that, Tar cautioned students to take the time to consider the individuals they move with.
“It is a matter of people being conscious and taking the security advice given to them seriously. Security starts with you, in case you are on a boda and realise that you are being followed, at least just branch to the nearest police station or any place with people,” he advised.
“Say no to strangers like those who pretend to be praying for you on the road, those asking for directions lying to you that they will give you a stipend, the conmen telling you that they are giving you jobs. Always lock your doors with at least two or three padlocks,” he stressed.
Tar also advised those who have been attacked to always keep the crime scene intact so that dogs can be used to sniff for scents, and fingerprints collected. He also asked them to report the case as soon as possible, at least within 12 hours of the crime happening.
Similar to OC Tar, Shallon Atuheire, the warden of Precious Hostel in Kauga, warns students not to move around late at night. “Students should avoid those dark areas because, even though a few suspects have been caught, the road in lower Kauga lacks security lighting. I’m not sure who is in charge of it, but if they could figure it out, it could reduce students’ fears about their safety,” she said.
