Kaliro crocodile killer captures another

Mar 17, 2015

Killing a crococodile is not new to him. He has done it again.

By Tom Gwebayanga

Killing a crococodile is not new to him. He has done it again. A man who killed a crocodile that mauled his wife in January this year, has captured another one that attempted to kill a fisherman.

Mubarak Zagenda, 51, of Kibuye village in Nawaikoke sub-county in Kaliro district awed the residents when he captured the reptile, took it and locked it in a room.

This happened at about 9.00pm on Saturday. The crocodile estimated to be ten years old, was 11 feet long and weighed about 90kilos.

The following morning, the residents trekked to see the reptile as they sang Zagenda's praises, calling him a hero.

In January this year Zagenda killed a male crocodile weighing about 700kiols after it ate his wife Deminteria Nabwire, 40.

He attacked and killed the beast near Namangi landing site, about 100metres from the spot where it grabbed Nabwire, who was seven months pregnant.

Zagenda reportedly found the killer crocodile basking on the papyrus reeds near its habitat, speared it in the belly, hit its head and nose using an axe killing it.

The residents of the area have since then been on high crocodile alert.

How the Saturday capture happened

On Saturday, at round 5.00 pm, Isaac Isabirye went to cast his nets on the lake only to be accosted by a crocodile as he arrived at Kibuye landing site at about 9.00pm.

"It puffed, before I threw the oar at it and it reacted heading towards me. I scampered out of the boat and ran away," Isabirye narrated.

He said he called Zagenda on phone and he shortly arrived and stabbed the crocodile on the thigh, grabbed its hind leg and assisted by friends, he quickly tied its mouth.

His "aides" later helped him to lift it to Kibuye trading center, where he locked it in a produce store, where it spent that night, before curious residents flocked to have a look at it.

Zagenda said he didn't kill it, owing to appeals by Uganda Wildlife Authority not to kill the crocodiles.

The area LC1 chairman Stephen Sande said the crocodiles have over the years put residents' lives at stake.

"The crocodiles are many and have killed over ten people while many have deformed limbs. The challenge is that when they surface and we report, UWA officials delay to respond, claiming they don't have fuel," Sande said.

On Sunday evening UWA officials went to the area and loaded the beast onto a pickup truck and took it to Kampala.

UWA warns Zagenda

Despite the fact that Zagenda has become a celebrity in the area UWA officials are concerned that he is putting his life at risk.

Oswald Tumanya, a senior UWA officer warned Zagenda to stop capturing crocodiles because he is not trained to do so saying one day a beast may outwit his "local antics" and kill him.

"We have over and again warned him but he is adamant but he should be ready for the repercussions," Tumanya warned on Saturday.

Tumanya said now that Zagenda is not taking heed, they would involve the Police to stop him from his "crocodile capturing missions" before the situation runs out of hand.

"The Police should trail and arrest him red-handed capturing a crocodile and be charged in court, otherwise, his being a celebrity may cost him his life," Tumanya said.

He added that they are to carry a nationwide sensitization aimed at equipping residents of where crocodiles are common on how to establish their presence in an area, the no-go places and how to react once attacked by a crocodile.

Tumanya said Mayuge, Kaliro, Buyende, Apac, Jinja and Namayingo districts are overwhelmed by crocodiles which have killed and disabled many people.

"The public is being sensitized on the safety measures but the challenge is that they brave the croc's habitats to go for swimming, fishing, cutting papyrus reeds, collect water and firewood," Tumanya said.