Investigations deepen in Tinkasimire fire attack

By Violet Nabatanzi & Henry Nsubuga

Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasiimire’s wife lies in an intensive care unit at Mulago referral hospital under such pain no one could ever wish to go through.

Doctors say 70% of Agnes’ body parts got burnt in the Tuesday early morning fire attack at her home in Mukono.

The 40-year-old mother of one sustained serious burns all over her face, head, chest, back, arms and feet.

In the same hospital is the 18-year-old Caroline Awino – a househelp – who was burnt in the chest, breasts and hand.

The vocal legislator was discharged from Mulago hospital Wednesday evening after he had collapsed into unconsciousness upon receiving news of the fire.

He was not at the Mukono house at the time of the incident, which was clearly an arson attack, according to Police.

Police has now stepped in.

After being discharged from the health facility, Tinkasimire recorded a Police statement in connection with the incident in which his wife was severely burnt.

Deputy Police spokesperson Vincent Sekatte on Wednesday said there are no arrests yet.

He said the MP, Awino (househelp) and some neighbours were some of the people interrogated on Wednesday.

“We are following some leads but we are yet to get the key testimony since the lady [Agnes] is not conscious enough,” he confirmed.

Controversy lingers

But the incident has since been received with mounting controversy over who could be behind the attack.

In her statement, the housemaid reported that her boss had recently asked a tenant to vacate the servants quarters due to non-payment.

The neighbours who were quizzed claimed that the evicted tenant allegedly threatened to harm Tinkasimire.

Some people are linking the arson attack to the recent demolition of some illegal structures at Centenary Park by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) by the order of the parliamentary committee on presidential affairs.

MP Tinkasimire heads that committee.

Following the committee decision, there emerged reports that the Tuesday fire attack was inspired by that very decision.

"I have not done anything beyond my jurisdiction.  I live in the city and by the law like any other Ugandan. But you choose to visit my house and burn it down when all my family is inside? Who does that?” he had wondered after the incident.

The legislator said the arsonists also broke into his brother’s house but it is not clear what they did there.

"So, I don't know which house or relative of mine they are targeting now. I am a young man and I don't want to lose my property just like that,” the MP had cried.

Fallen apart

Local authorities said the MP and his burnt wife separated in 2008 but Tinkasimire said the relationship ended in 2000.

On Wednesday, Tinkasimire claimed that a man suspected to have had an affair with his wife had been arrested.

But the Police and local authorities said some unnamed man – the one evicted from his quarters in Mukono – is among those being sought for questioning.

Tinkasiimire said: “She got into a relationship with a married man so the Police want to establish whether the wife of that man had a hand in the incident.”

The MP who was in company of a woman he identified as his second wife said he left the house for his wife because they had a child together.