A shocking incident occurred at Bubugo Central, Nawampanda parish, Butagaya Sub County in Jinja district where nine suspects allegedly attacked the home of 68- year-old Abdul Kimbunga, stealing cooked pilau rice and other valuables during a twin ceremony.
The ceremony, locally known as ‘okusabira abalongo”, which is always characterized by erotic dances and obscene songs, was held to celebrate the one year milestone of Ashraf Kyevuna’s twins.
Hell door broke lose when a group of drunken unruly and hungry youth armed with pangas,hoes and sticks, stormed the venue in the wee hours at 2.am and turned things upside down.
After descending on the already prepared delicacies, they reportedly dismantled the tents, broke chairs and tables forcing everyone to flee for dear life.
The thieves made off with cooked pilau rice, chicken and meat meant for the guests for the celebrations. In a movie-like act, the irate youth smeared their bodies with local herbs known as ‘olweza’ meant for the twins and also took away bags and mobile phones and cash from the guests.
According to the Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson SP James Mubi, scores of people were injured but a one Sadat Lyagoba Mugoya sustained severe head injuries during the attack.
Mubi says police at CPS Buwenge led by the DPC SP Morris Oyee acted swiftly and arrested nine suspects who are now in police custody as investigations take shape.
Police have named the nine as Fazal Makoma (23),Ziyad Bukenya,(22),Nicholas Kasozi, (19),Zephaniah Muwanguzi,(18),Charles Magemeso,(18),Sharif Muyingo,(18),Hussein Tenywa,(18) and Salim Gulinkaba,( 17).
The suspects face charges of criminal trespass, malicious damage, theft and assault and are being held at CPS Buwenge.
The police spokesperson James Mubi has cautioned individuals against harming innocent members of the public who are busy carrying out socio-economic activities.
“…you must desist from criminal and unlawful activities to intimidate and harm people in their respective homes, places of worship, places of work, roadside or markets because the law will catch up with you…”,Mubi cautions.
He has encouraged members of the public especially the youth to embrace and popularize government programmes like PDM, Emyooga, Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), among others like UPE and USE to combat poverty and improve on their standard of living as opposed to criminality.
It’s concerning to see many young people spending their time at trading centers commenting on women’s fashion, hairstyles, or body structures while playing cards or waiting to bet on European matches instead of working hard to combat poverty.
This trend is particularly alarming as the political scene in Uganda heats up, with many youth waiting for handouts from prospective aspirants rather than taking proactive steps to improve their lives.
The youth population, which makes up a significant portion of Uganda’s community, has the potential to drive meaningful change.
However, experts say they face numerous challenges, including exclusion from decision-making processes, social and economic marginalization, and vulnerability to climate change.
Some of the challenges include limited access to quality education, employment, and healthcare can lead to disillusionment and disengagement.
Another issue is the societal expectations and cultural values which prioritize leisure activities like attending to music festivals, watching movies in makeshift cinema halls over productive pursuits.
To address these issues, commentators say it’s essential to empower youth through education, skills training, and economic opportunities.
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