Strange, ghostly voices terrorise Kanungu

STRANGE voices suspected to be of a ghost have scared families living near Joseph Kibwetere’s camp at Nyabugoto, Kanungu where some 1000 people perished in a mass suicide in March 2000. Residents reported there are strange voices of people shouting in Runyankore “Iwe Kerodonia hamwe na Kibwetere murahukye mutuhereze ebyaitu nitwenda kutaaha” (“Credonia and Kibwetere hurry up, and give us our belongings, we want to return home”). Other voices are heard saying, “Kibwetere why did you burn our souls with petrol yet you promised to lead us to heaven,” Orumuri, a sister paper of The New Vision, quoted some of the strange voices. The paper’s correspondent in Kanungu, Robert Bagaba, who visited the scene confirmed the presence of the strange voices. Bagaba said, “The Local Council officials talked to said they are trying to find a way of silencing the strange voices they attribute to ghosts, The residents said the ghosts become more active at night. There are times when the ghosts light bonfires and make a lot of noise,” Bagaba reported. The residents, who preferred not to publicly talk about the suspected ghosts believe the evil spirits may start attacking homes in the neighbourhood. Residents claim that the suspected ghosts have chased them from their gardens close to the camp at Nyabugoto. Kibwetere, Mwerinde, Fr. Dominic Kataribabo and Kasapurari were the leaders of the Ten commandments of God” cult. They are believed not to have perished in the inferno and court has issued a warrant of arrest but the police has not been successful yet. ends