Gunmen kill businessman, 3 family members

By Ali Wasswa and Moses Lemisa

A businessman and three members of his family were murdered in cold blood by gunmen who attacked them on Sunday night.

Haji Mohammad Mpindi Kizza (pictured down right) was shot execution style  infront of his family at his farm in Nyamiyonga – Rugaaga, Isingiro district.

Haji Mpindi was murdered together with his younger siblings, Asiat Nansubuga Nakato and Sulaina Nampindi, and a farm worker identified only as Katongole.true

Two others, Wasswa Mpindi and Mohammad Ssenkima, an in-law to the Haji, are in Mbarara hospital and Rugaaga health centre nursing injuries they sustained in the callous attack.

Haji Mpindi was an auto spare parts dealer premised in Bakuli, a Kampala suburb.

He had two families in Makerere-Kavule, Kiggundu Zone where he also had rentals and in Nyamitanga, Mbarara.

The slain businessman becomes the third trader to be murdered in nine days in a spate of senseless killings that have rocked the country.

Amon Mwebaza, a Mobile Money dealer was murdered in Kisaasi while Brave Aineamani was shot dead in Kamwokya on Saturday night.

Survivor narrates ordeal

One of the survivors of the brutality, Hassan Ssemanda, hid in a bedroom and escaped death. He narrated the ordeal as thus:

"It was about midnight after we had had supper when the gunmen attacked. They kicked in the door and ordered us all on the ground and keep our heads on the ground.

"One of them went to the bedroom and brought Haji to the sitting room and others who had been hiding in the bedroom. Then they opened fire on them, starting with Haji. Haji tried to flee but they kept shooting at him until he dropped dead on the ground.

"He was shot seven times. Some of those who had been assembled in the sitting room had tried to flee when Haji was being shot but some died while others escaped with severe injuries."

The gunmen are also reported to have made off with some money.

Police arrests seven

With investigations taking shape, Police headed by Martin Adiru have so far arrested seven people including a priest, Fr.
Clavas Ensiniyitu, the parish priest of Rugaaga to assist with investigations.

The Police suspect the murder could be connected to a land wrangle Haji had with Rugaaga parish and others who are protesting an eviction from part of his farmland. The land dispute is currently being heard in court.

Others however say besides the land wrangles, Mpindi had wrangles with some associates over the spare parts business.

The deceased is said to have been fearing for his life and had started living a reclusive life.

Though Haji moved to Makerere-Kavule in 1994, he would spend most of his time in Nyamitanga. He is survived by his wife of Kavule and six children.