Residents of Bwera LCI in Kyangwali Sub-county in Kikuube district killed at least 40 cows and burnt down four houses belonging to Pastor George Baguma of Bwera Miracle church over land wrangles on Wednesday evening.

Reliable sources revealed that since last year, over 500 residents have been feuding with the pastor over approximately 300 acres of land in Bwera village. According to the information obtained, the residents accuse Pastor Baguma of trying to grab their ancestral land, which they have occupied for years.

Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) told journalists in an exclusive interview that the violence followed the arrest of five residents by the State House Land Protection Unit on Wednesday. He explains that the State House Land Protection Unit officials stormed the area in the company of Baguma and picked up the residents opposed to his schemes.

The arrests followed a petition filed by Pastor Baguma demanding for the eviction of the residents from the disputed land. Residents first blocked the road for hours to stop the State House Land protection unit officials from taking their colleagues prompting them to fire live bullets in the air to disperse them.

The angry residents are said to have regrouped when the state house officers left and raided Baguma’s farm, where they hacked 40 cows to death. 

James Kyomuhendo, one of the residents accused Baguma of using the police and soldiers to forcefully grab their land.

Baguma insists that he legally acquired the contested land and processed a title. He accuses the residents of encroaching on his land.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson, says that police have commenced investigations into the massive destruction of Baguma’s farm and slaughter of his animals.

No suspect has been arrested in connection with the mob action.

West Nile Rural Electrification Company, WENRECo, Airtel Money have launched a new payment option on Airtel Money that will allow customers in West Nile to pay their electricity bills at affordable rates.

Japhet Aritho, the Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited (AMCUL) Managing Director made the announcement on 2^nd August 2022 at a Press briefing in Arua.

“We are pleased to be part of this great milestone where we will be able to bring the Airtel Money services closer to our people so that they can be able to make their electricity bill payment using the Airtel Money platform,” said Aritho.

 “We are pleased to announce that our people in Arua, and West Nile region will now be able to make their electricity payments using Airtel Money. At AMCUL, we have demonstrated our innovative capacity by continuously unveiling products and services that make service delivery affordable and convenient. This gives our customers the convenience to power their businesses and lifestyles with ease This they will do without the need for Airtime as was the case before,” he added.

Eng. Kenneth Kigumba, the Managing Director at WENRECo applauded AMCUL for these innovations and enhanced services on Airtel Money that will enable customers to make their electricity payments.

“I implore our customers to use other Airtel Money services to ease their work,” said Kigumba.

WENRECo is the electric energy generating and distribution company in the West Nile sub-region of the Northern Uganda. The region covers; Packwach, Nebbi , Arua , Yumbe , Moyo ,Madi-Okolo, Adjumani , Koboko, and Oraba.

By dialing *185*4*6# and following the prompts, customers will be able to conveniently make their electricity payments to WENRECO using Airtel Money in the comfort of the home, offices, and including when traveling/working abroad.

The Airtel Money platform offers a range of services like, payments to persons, businesses and between business. Airtel Money also facilitates cross border trade with our immediate neighbors DRC and South Sudan and other countries across the world.

Small business owners can now separate their business money from personal money using Airtel Money Merchant Pay. Other services include loans (Wewole and Quick Loan), saving via Super Saver, School Fees payments among other services on the platform.

 “We are committed to enabling the transformation of Ugandan businesses and communities. Our partnership with WENRECo is a strong platform to ease access to electricity and a step towards financial and digital inclusion” Aritho concluded.

The territorial Police at Old Kampala working with the Flying Squad Unit have arrested seven suspects on allegations of stealing motor vehicles and theft of cattle.

In an operation conducted on the 28th July 2022 in Lungujja Lubaga Division Kampala, police recovered a motor vehicle REG No. UAY 581R that was on the 22nd of July reported stolen from Ndejje along with 32 heads of cattle.

Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy Police spokesperson Kampala metropolitan revealed that upon interrogation, the suspects confessed that they are also involved in the robbery of different types of motor vehicles including; Nadia, Wish, Ipsum and Noah.

The suspects also revealed that they remove the rear seats and use them to transport stolen cattle from Nakasongola, Nakaseke, Kiboga and Kyankwazi districts.

The suspects also said that the cows are later sold to two people identified as Lubinga Musa and Bika Joseph both residents of Lungujja from whose homes 9 cows were recovered and 23 cows were recovered (respectively) which prompted the arrest of both buyers.

Other suspects in custody include Maseruka Ashraf, Seruwu Muhammad, Semanda Ivan, Tumwine Fred and Kamugisha Brian.

The suspects are all detained at CPS Kampala flying squad headquarters on accusations of theft of cattle and theft of a motor vehicle as investigations into the matter continue.

The chief Magistrates court in Bushenyi District presided over by Toroko Simon has sentenced two boda boda cyclists to eighteen months in jail on charges of defilement.

The suspects identified as Ahimbisibwe Pastor, 40, and Regan Byamugisha, 24, both boda boda cyclists at Rwenzori stage in Ishaka town are accused of defiling a primary six pupil at Kabira Primary School in Mitooma district.

Prosecution told court that on 12th May 2021, Pastor Ahimbisibwe, a resident of Kigoma in Kizinda town council in Bushenyi district and Regan Byamugisha a resident of Kashozi in Nyabubare Sub-county in Bushenyi district all had sexual relations with a pupil who was still under 18 years of age. 

It is said that on that fateful day, the Father to victim trusted Pastor with his daughter to take her to School but he instead diverted her to a lodge before he called Regan Byamugisha who also took the girl to another lodge and also had sexual relations with her.

Both suspects were on Thursday not allowed to take plea and were sent to Nyamushekyera prison for 18 months.

State House Anti-Corruption Unit working together with Uganda Police have arrested Mungereza Edward who tried to bribe officials from State House Anti -Corruption Unit with UGX5m with the purpose of making them release his friend; Tumwiine Evarist.

Tumwiine Evarist had been arrested for conspiring to process & acquire a land title of up to 14.62 hectares of government land that houses a health Center III, 2 cattle dams, LC 11 Administrative Units and play grounds among others at Kyarwabuganda Village, Kakoma Parish, Kakiika Subcounty in Mbarara district.

Upon his arrest, Tumwiine was also found in possession of 2 Identity Cards indicating that he is the Senior Staff Surveyor of Masaka & Mbarara under Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

It is said that the suspect also had land applications, original land files & land titles.

Tumwiine then sent the bribe through his friend Mungereza who has also been arrested for offering and giving a bribe.