Police in Western Uganda have announced increased vigilance and deployment across the region ahead of the festive season.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson told journalists that the increased vigilance is meant to ensure security and safety of people and their property during this festive season.

Kasasira said police standby teams including 999 patrol units have been deployed for easy mobility when responding to any incidents.

He also urged the owners of bars, hotels to be extra careful while receiving customers as the festive season approaches.

Kasasira also appealed to drivers to endeavor to follow traffic guidelines in order to avoid any possible accidents noting that Police have deployed heavily on roads to curb the naughty drivers this festive season.

In Bushenyi district, security have announced intensifying night patrols as a way to mitigate crimes during Christmas celebrations.

Speaking to reporters, the Bushenyi district Resident district commissioner, William Katsigazi noted that due to a threat of ADF in the region security committees picked the concern to introduce night patrols together with UPDF to beef up manpower to police.

Katsigazi called on people to be vigilant and appealed to LCs to cooperate and register all new entrants in their villages.

In Rwampara district, the RDC Jane Muhindo revealed that ahead of the festival season, her office has registered increased cases of theft and other crimes. Muhindo urged residents to remain vigilant during the festive season as criminals are on a rampage.

The district security committee resolved to recruit village vigilantes who will work with security to curb down crime in the district during festival seasons.

Police in Mbarara has arrested 41 people believed to be behind house break in in the area. The arrested include 11 juveniles and 25 male adults and their arrest followed an intelligence-led operation carried out by police last night.

The operation was carried out in the Mbarara city areas of Kakoba, Lubiri as well as London Arcade corridors, known as areas for criminal hideouts.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Region police spokesperson noted that the arrested were found in possession of metallic implements which they use to break into people’s houses. They were also found with marijuana.

Kasasira adds that the operation was prompted by complaints from members of the public and the business community in Mbarara City on criminal elements that are involved in shop breakings,waylaying and snatching of property on the street of this city.

The operations come at a time as the Country prepares to enter the festive season, with criminals taking advantage to cause havoc. Kasasira urges the public to remain vigilant and report to police any incident in the community. 

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Police in Mbarara have arrested four suspected number plate thieves in the Rwizi region.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Regional Police Spokesperson, identified the suspects as Conrad Mwiine,24, a student at Bishop Stuart University (BSU) and resident of Rubiri cell in Nyamityobora ward, Geoffrey Muhwezi, 27, a resident of Rwentondo cell , Vincent Mwebesa, 25, a resident of Rwentondo cell , and Bright Atwijukire, 22, a resident of Koranorya in Mbarara city.

Kasasira noted that the arrest of the suspects follows several cases of theft of vehicle number plates that were recorded at Mbarara central police station and Ruti Police Station.

He added that the thieves steal the number plates they leave a note on the car with a telephone number and instructions to the owner to deposit a given amount of money ranging from UGX 100,000 to UGX 500,000 if they want to repossess them.

Kasasira revealed that the operation led to the recovery of thirteen number plates which include;UBD082J,UBH988P, CGO8317AF19,UAU 842E,UAF228S,UAN827K,UAY087H,UAT786Y,UBK141J,UAQ334S,UBG172G,UBN036Z and UBH506J.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Regional Police Spokesperson poses with some of the stolen numberplates.

Police findings indicated that the suspects indiscriminately target members of the public and on several occasions, the racket has been busted and members arrested but have resumed their activities upon release from prison.

The Police mouthpiece confirmed the six suspects had earlier been arrested, and remanded to Mbarara Main prison. 

Kitagata Secondary school community are mourning the death of a 23-year-old S.6 student who was found dead after falling into a pit latrine at the school campus.

Martial Tumusiime, the Greater Bushenyi region police spokesperson, revealed that the incident happened on Sunday 12/11/2023 at around 3:00pm when he had gone to ease himself.

He identified the deceased as Capson Rwamamanzi,23, a resident of Nyabutama 1, Butare Parish, Ntungamo sub-county in Ntungamo district.

An eye witness, Muhanuzi Aguma, a fellow student who was occupying another latrine said he heard a weird sound fall in the next door prompting him to check only to find that the flour of the latrine had caved in.

Aguma suspected that someone might have fallen into the latrine thereby notifying Asaph Mwije, the Deputy Head teacher of the school who sanctioned a roll call at 3:45Pm to ascertain the whereabouts of the deceased. 

The roll call confirmed that the deceased (Capson) was absent in the school suspecting that he might have gone out with other S.4 students who had finished their exams.

But the deputy head teacher made another roll call at 7:00 Pm and the victim was still missing which prompted the deputy head teacher to report the incident at Kitagata police station the following day on Monday 13/11/2023 at 1:45Pm.

Baramura Innocent, the Father of the deceased told reporters that he was informed the school administrators on Monday after noon about the missing of his child after missing morning exams.

An outbreak of anthrax has been confirmed in Ibanda district after five of the six samples sent to the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Arua for testing last week turned out positive with the disease.

While giving an update on the anthrax outbreak at the district health office on Wednesday, November 15^th, Vincent Mugisha, the district surveillance officer confirmed the development and urged the public, especially residents of Keihangara sub-county, to be extra careful and stop consuming meat of dead animals.

Seven people from Rugaaga I and Rugaaga IV villages in Keihangara sub-county, Ibanda South County were last week hospitalized at Uganda Martyrs Ibanda Hospital Kagongo over suspected anthrax infection. They had signs and symptoms common with anthrax infection, including boils, wounds, and swelling of different parts of the upper body, especially the arms.

Mugisha said the patients were discharged from the hospital over the weekend and they are currently being monitored from their homes.  

Mugisha also revealed that scientists from Ministry of Health will be in the district to carry out further investigations in the areas where the disease was reported.

This is the fourth outbreak in the district in recent years. “One person in Kakijerere in Bisheshe Division, Ibanda Municipality, succumbed to the disease during last year’s outbreak,” said the officials.

According to Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis which occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals.

People can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. Anthrax can cause severe illness in both humans and animals.

Sheema District leaders have been tasked to explain why the Rubaare Sericulture production factory remains non-functional despite the billions of shillings invested by government to facilitate its take off.

The task was made by Jessica Ababiku, the Adjuman district Woman Member of Parliament, who doubles as the chairperson of the presidential affairs committee.

A delegation of MPs led by Ababiku visited the multi-billion project located in Rubaare Cell, Nyarwenshama ward, Sheema Central division in Sheema municipality, to ascertain it’s non operationalization for production of Silk materials.

In 2017, Sheema District local government signed a memorandum of understanding with Uganda National Council of science and technology (UNCST) to rent about 26 hectares of the district farm land for ten years to establish sericulture and apiculture project but since then it has not been operational due to inadequate funding from the government.

The project aims to increase the production of silk by raising silkworms for industrial use. About 2,230 acres of mulberry have since been established across the country and three factories have been established in Mukono, Kween, and Sheema districts.

It is said that the ministry of science technology and innovation last financial year halted UGX 40billion that was requested by Tropical Institute of development Innovations (TRIDI) to support the operationalization of the project.

During the visit to Sheema, MPs observed that the facility has not been operational for two years and that the workers have not been paid for 5 months.

Jemimah Buhanda, the LC V chairperson Sheema district told the committee that TRIDI was expected to start the process of production, but they did not continue after procuring old machinery that could not support the production process.

Steven Kangwagye, the Bukanga County Member of Parliament, questioned why the machinery had been lying idle outside the factory and were being exposed to sunshine and rain.

“This is total corruption. How do you leave the whole of this machinery which costs the government a lot of money to be destroyed by sunshine” said Kangwagye.

 “I want to tell you that the president supports innovations, but he does not want this kind of corruption and unseriousness. Therefore, you should expose all those who want to put this project down,” added Kangwagye.

 The committee promised to make a report to Parliament on their findings to come up with a way forward.

Children with disabilities and surgical conditions in western region are overjoyed after they received 200 wheelchairs from Bethany kids, a compassionate children mission transforming the lives of African children through pediatric surgery.

Speaking as that chief guest, at the launch of this program dubbed The Pediatric Wheelchair Service, the Mbarara Resident city commissioner, Lt. Col. James Mwesigye lauded the donation and urged the public to embrace people with disabilities and create a hospitable environment for them.

Dr. Wenceslaus Turyamureeba, the Senior Orthopaedic Technologist who represented the Hospital Director at the launch of the Pediatric Wheelchair Service noted that the milestone is equally attributed to the Late Dr. Martin Situma.

“His work in the Pediatric Surgical Unit is at the core of what we see today,” said Dr. Turyamureeba.

Dr Felix Yannia, head of pediatric surgery at Mbarara Regional Referral hospital noted that the wheel chairs will be assembled and given to those who have been assessed.

He noted that this will be a continuous ongoing process at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.

The pediatric wheelchair service was launched under the theme: “Motion, Make Life Accessible” with the main objective of improving functional mobility, independence and meaningful participation of children living with disabilities in Western Uganda.

A section of beneficiaries who talked to our reporter expressed their happiness and appreciated Bethany Kids and Mbarara Regional Hospital for the donation.

Residents of Ncune 3 cell in Ncune parish, Kashare sub-county, in Mbarara district are filled with shock and grief following the gruesome murder of one of the locals.

Fred Mwesigye, the LCIII chairperson Kashare Sub-County confirmed the incident and identified the deceased as George Muhangi, 40, who was murdered by unknown assailants in cold blood.

Mwesigye revealed that the deceased was cut into pieces by unknown people who had come to take bunches of matooke which they had bought from the deceased in the morning of Thursday.

Mwesigye added that in the evening hours around 7:30pm, the assailants escorted the deceased to the banana plantation and cut him into pieces using a panga.

He noted that Police from Rubindi visited the scene with a sniffer dog that has led to the arrest of Robert Mugumya, the NRM sub-county registrar and a brother to the deceased.

Mwesigye said that preliminary investigation using information from Mugumya (the suspect) suggest that they had land wrangles with the deceased.

The body of the deceased was taken to Mbarara regional hospital for postmortem examination as investigation into matter continue.

Police in Mitooma District have arrested a secondary school teacher on allegations of leaking a UNEB examination paper.

The suspect has been identified as Dominic Tumusiime, a Kiswahili teacher at Kanyabwanga Secondary School in Kanyabwanga sub-county, Ruhinda North constituency, Mitooma district.

Martial Tumusiime, the greater Bushenyi region police spokesperson confirmed the development and noted that the suspect was arrested on Monday 17th October 2023 by police detectives after a tip off that the suspect had shared an image purported to be an Examination material.

Tumusiime added that detectives in Mitooma was tipped off by the school Head teacher, a one Mugizi that the suspect had shared a UNEB biology practical paper for 2023 on staff’s social media (Whatsapp group) and police had to swing into action and arrest the culprit.

In a statement released on Wednesday, 18^th October 2023, by the UNEB public relations officer, Jenipher Kalule Musamba, the teacher in question was arrested after a case of Examination malpractice was reported to police by the school Headteacher.

The file is currently at the magistrate’s court in Bushenyi.

Police in Mbarara district are investigating circumstances under which a suspect died in a holding cell at Bwizibwera Central Police station.

It is alleged that Enos Angumya,25, a resident of Kyakaziizi cell, Rwentojo ward, Bwizibwera-Rutooma Town Council in Mbarara district was tortured after being arrested on Saturday over allegations of motorcycle theft.

Naome Kemireembe, a sister to the deceased, narrated to our reporter that she became suspicious after being blocked from accessing the suspect on Tuesday.

She said that her brother died in a police cell and the body was later taken to Mbarara regional referral hospital mortuary.

According to Kemireembe, the hospital postmortem report shared with the relatives indicated that Angumya’s death was purely suffocation as a result of too much congestion in the police cell.

Boda boda riders at Rwentojo boda boda stage where the deceased was operating, accused police officers at Bwizibwera central police station of using excessive force, being brutal, and extorting money from suspects.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi region police spokesperson noted that police have opened an inquiry file into the sudden death of Angumya.

Kasasira confirmed the commencement of investigations against the officers who were on duty at the time of his death.