Probe on medicine men camped in forest

By Luke Kagiri

MITYANA - Security operatives in Mityana district are investigating a group of over 30 people who have pitched camp in a forest, claiming to be worshiping gods.

The group has spent over a week in a forest in Bekiina ‘A’ village in Butayunja sub-county.

Kiwanuka Katende, the resident district commissioner, said he had learnt about the operations of the group and was handling the matter together with the Police.

“There is no reason why these people should live in the forest, claiming to be worshiping. They should have gone there for one day and left, but not camped there,” Katende added.

In the forest, the people cleared the bush to create a sitting area and construct a pit-latrine.

John Kakooza, the group leader, said: “We shall live here until our spirits order us to vacate the place. It is the spirits which ordered us to camp in this place.”

Kakooza said he had been a trader at Bakuli in Kampala for many years until last week when he left the city to go to the village.

Residents of the area, who preferred not to be named, said during the night, over 100 people gather in the forest.

But Dan Kabugo, the Bekiina ‘A’  LC1 chairperson, said the group leaders had introduced themselves to him and sought permission to camp in the forest.

“They told me that they had got permission from the Police and so, I could not refuse them to camp there. Since they started living in this forest, we have not received any complaints regarding criminal activity,” he said.

However, Henry Kintu, the district Police commander, said they could not allow anybody to live in the forest.

Kintu said he had deployed detectives to follow up the matter and together with other security leaders, they would decide how to handle it.