3 killed in Rukungiri clashes

By Grace Matsiko THREE people including a local council official were on Saturday killed in inter-parish clashes in Nyakagyeme, Rukungiri district. The clashes were between Lwerere and Kahoko parishes in Rujumbura county. The dead are the Kahoko LCI vice-chairman, Ben Byengoga, John Kasibante, a UPDF veteran and Eric Mugisha. The Rukungiri district CID officer, Rashid Juma, confirmed the killings. He said George Karuhanga has been detained as a suspect in connection with the deaths. “We are on the ground. We are giving these people time to bury the victims and we shall continue with investigations,” Juma said. He said Karuhanga sparked off the clashes, after he allegedly demanded for sh40,000 from Byengonga. Juma said, “Karuhanga allegedly gave Byengonga a two-day notice to pay him the money or face action. When Byengonga was returning home from a bar, men grabbed him as he entered his house and took him to a nearby bush where he was hacked to death and the body mutilated. He said Kahoko residents attacked Lwerere parish where Byengonga hails from and lynched two people to death in revenge. Mugisha, a brother to Karuhanga, was saved from death by the Police and the UPDF who rushed to the area to save the situation. sources said five people suspected to have contributed to the clashes are on the run. Sources also said some local council officials had fled. The anti-riot Police and the UPDF have been deployed in the area.