Masaka residents burn house of suspected witch
Feb 07, 2009
ANGRY residents of Serinnya village, Kyannamukaaka sub-county in Masaka district have expelled their sub-county councillor, her mother and three other relatives from the village on allegations of witchcraft.
By Ali Mambule
ANGRY residents of Serinnya village, Kyannamukaaka sub-county in Masaka district have expelled their sub-county councillor, her mother and three other relatives from the village on allegations of witchcraft.
The residents on Wednesday also razed Thereza Nayiga’s house and her banana plantations, before destroying her mother, Freda Nalwoga’s, property, killing her animals and setting her church
ablaze.
Nalwoga’s in-law, Gerald Sebatta, her daughter, identified as Nambogo, and her son only identified as Bunjakko also had their property destroyed.
The residents then wrote an anonymous letter to the victims, warning them of returning to the village, claiming they had brought charms that tortured their colleagues.
“We are tired of people whom we thought would be good leaders in our community but rather (have) proved to be a source of insecurity,†the letter read in part.
The area LC I chairperson, Moses Semugenyi, said the incident took place after one of the villagers was allegedly attacked by demons, locally called mayembe.
“The residents, who had gathered to see what had happened to their colleague, mobilised and destroyed property belonging to Nalwoga, her children and all their relatives,†Semugenyi narrated.
He said when the victims learnt of the move to destroy their property, they disappeared from the village.
“The villagers would have harmed them if they had not hidden themselves,†Semugenyi explained.
He said by the time the Police arrived, the villagers were destroying a church, which was started by Freda and her children.
On Thursday, the residents hired traditional healers to cleanse their village of the witchcraft that, they said, was disturbing them.
Masaka traditional healers’ association chairman Salongo Kayinga Kiggundu told the residents who had gathered to be cleansed that whoever brought the charms to their village had disappeared with them.
The district Police commander, Haruna Isabirye, and the district Crime Chief, Christopher Rugumayo, warned the locals against taking the law in their hands.
Isabirye said the Police were investigating the matter and would prosecute those found guilty.
ANGRY residents of Serinnya village, Kyannamukaaka sub-county in Masaka district have expelled their sub-county councillor, her mother and three other relatives from the village on allegations of witchcraft.
The residents on Wednesday also razed Thereza Nayiga’s house and her banana plantations, before destroying her mother, Freda Nalwoga’s, property, killing her animals and setting her church
ablaze.
Nalwoga’s in-law, Gerald Sebatta, her daughter, identified as Nambogo, and her son only identified as Bunjakko also had their property destroyed.
The residents then wrote an anonymous letter to the victims, warning them of returning to the village, claiming they had brought charms that tortured their colleagues.
“We are tired of people whom we thought would be good leaders in our community but rather (have) proved to be a source of insecurity,†the letter read in part.
The area LC I chairperson, Moses Semugenyi, said the incident took place after one of the villagers was allegedly attacked by demons, locally called mayembe.
“The residents, who had gathered to see what had happened to their colleague, mobilised and destroyed property belonging to Nalwoga, her children and all their relatives,†Semugenyi narrated.
He said when the victims learnt of the move to destroy their property, they disappeared from the village.
“The villagers would have harmed them if they had not hidden themselves,†Semugenyi explained.
He said by the time the Police arrived, the villagers were destroying a church, which was started by Freda and her children.
On Thursday, the residents hired traditional healers to cleanse their village of the witchcraft that, they said, was disturbing them.
Masaka traditional healers’ association chairman Salongo Kayinga Kiggundu told the residents who had gathered to be cleansed that whoever brought the charms to their village had disappeared with them.
The district Police commander, Haruna Isabirye, and the district Crime Chief, Christopher Rugumayo, warned the locals against taking the law in their hands.
Isabirye said the Police were investigating the matter and would prosecute those found guilty.