Master Blaster: Police to meet burial expenses

 By Vision Reporters                                                     

Corporal Gonzaga Wagaba attached to Kawempe Police Station and 63 others have been arrested following the death of local musician Denis Oringa Oloya alias Master Blaster.

Master Blaster was shot on Tuesday morning at Eden Service Park, a pub in Bwaise along Nabweru road in Kampala. This was during a scuffle allegedly between a group of Ugandan youth and South Sudanese nationals. He was declared dead shortly after reaching Mulago referral Hospital where Police had rushed him.

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said preliminary investigations indicate that on the fateful day Wagaba and six other policemen on patrol rushed to Eden Service Park following the brawl.

He said they found revellers already drunk and shouting but not fighting as it had been reported. Enanga said Wagaba allegedly shot the deceased in the stomach during the process thus leading to his death.

He stressed that they are now investigating as to why Wagaba withdrew his pistol and shot at people who were not fighting.

"What transpired in Bwaise did not call for such action. By the time you release a bullet targeting someone's stomach proves that you wanted to injure," he noted.

Enanga said Wagaba is being detained at Kawempe Police station pending further investigations into the matter.

The other 63, mainly youths, were arrested over allegations that they were attacking South Sudanese in the area accusing them of causing Oloya's death. They allegedly torched their houses, smashed cars and looted property.

Meanwhile, the Police have offered to meet all burial expenses including feeding mourners at Bwaise and at Namuwonge at the deceased's mother's home.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said they had allowed the mourners to take the body to the National Theatre for a few hours before it is taken to his home duty for burial.

Master Blaster's relatives including his uncle, Gasper Omal, sister Kevin Lamono and brother Stephen Olaya said burial would take place at Palabek Gem village in Lamwo district.

Musician Bob Wine who held several meetings with police officers however said he had rejected the shs4m offer saying the money was too little to meet all the expanses.

 He said the musicians demanded that the Police pay a funeral service company to transport, buy a decent coffin and meet all the required expenses to give a more decent send-off to their colleague.

Onyango later told New Vision that the police had agreed with their demands and accepted to re-adjust their budget but did not disclose their final offer.