Massacre in Kagadi: How 10 family members died in fight over religion

Several other people, including neighbours, who responded to the alarm, were injured. The attack occurred about three kilometres from Muzizi Trading Centre. 

At the scene, Daily Monitor found three houses, two of which belonged to the men who reportedly killed their parents, wives and children, while the third belonged to their father.

The village chairperson, Mr Richard Mwanamolho, recounted that around 9pm on Tuesday, they heard an alarm from the home of Yokononia Isakara. 

He said together with other villagers from Muzizi Trading Centre, they headed to the home.

However, they were confronted by Obed Baguma, 33, and David Munyirambe, 36, who were armed with machetes and denied them access to the area.

According to Mr Mwanamolho, the two men began throwing stones, forcing the group, which included police officers, to retreat. Along the way, he said, they discovered the body of Boniface Rogers Nyirambe with multiple cuts in the nearby bush.

He explained that Nyirambe, who lived a short distance away from his father’s home, was hacked to death when he responded to the alarm.

He said at first, their focus was on rescuing the injured and taking them to a health facility and they were unaware of the fatalities in the house.

“After they chased us with stones, we called the Kagadi DPC [District Police Commander] for reinforcement. In the morning [yesterday], we were joined by UPDF, and we proceeded to the home of Yokononia. Before we could reach, we encountered the two suspects again, but this time we had the UPDF,” Mr Mwanamolho narrated.

He added: “When the army tried to approach, the suspects threatened them with pangas, leading to a confrontation in which both suspects were shot and died on the spot.”

Upon reaching the suspects’ houses, the group was met with a pool of blood flowing from there. Inside, they discovered seven bodies, including those of Yokononia Isakara, 76, and his wife Norah Kabuwere, 64, and several of their grandchildren.

Mr Jessy Masereka, a son of Isakara, said he survived because his house is located some distance away.

He said he learnt of the tragic events when some of the injured victims reached out to him during the night, informing him that his brothers had attacked them.

“I was at home when neighbours, a man and his wife, both with severe head wounds, came to me. They told me that my two brothers had injured them while they tried to respond to the alarm. I, along with others, took them to the nearby health facility for treatment,” Mr Masereka explained.

Mr Masereka said for years, his family members subscribed to the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) faith, whose church was located in Muzizi Village.

However, about five years ago, his brothers, Baguma and Munyirambe, developed a conflict with church leaders, accusing them of spreading false teachings.

He explained that the two began openly confronting church leaders and followers, forcing church leaders to report them to the police. They were eventually arrested and remanded to prison in Kagadi but were later released.

“After being released, we thought they had changed. Instead, they continued to oppose our religion and decided to start their own faith, although they had no followers. They held their gatherings in private and pressured us to join, but we all refused,” Mr Masereka recounted.

The village chairperson, Mr Mwanamolho, confirmed that he had received numerous complaints from family members about being forced to join the brothers’ cult. He said he informed security authorities but no serious action was taken.

Inside the brothers' home, Mr Mwanamolho said, they had arranged tree stumps as symbols of worship. These were confiscated by security personnel yesterday. 

Additionally, they had a flag with two colours—yellow and blue—bearing the words God, Holy Spirit, Son, Man, Man. Mwanamolho believes this may have been the name of their cult.

“What I disagree with is allowing anyone to start their own faith. Some are conmen, leading people astray. We need to regulate these places of worship,” Mr Mwanamolho said.

He added “The court and police also failed us. How can someone be arrested and then released when we village leaders had recommended they don't return to our community? Even if no one pursued the case in court, we had evidence. Such people should have stayed in prison.”

Mr Abel Kule, Isakara’s younger brother, said the two sons had been threatening to kill their father and other family members for refusing to join their cult and for cooperating with the police, which led to their previous arrest.

He mentioned that about a year ago, both sons went to Bundibugyo District and married. However, when their wives came to Kagadi, they also refused to join the cult and were subsequently divorced and since then, the two had been living alone in their houses.

“These children, apart from threatening to kill their parents, also acted in ways that shocked the family. For instance, they would buy a whole goat, slaughter it, and eat it all by themselves without offering even a kilogramme to their father,” Mr Kule said.

Albertine regional police spokesperson Julius Hakiza said along with sister security agencies, they are investigating the incident.

"We appeal to the public to provide any information regarding this incident. Your cooperation is crucial in bringing those responsible to justice," he said.

By press time, UPDF soldiers were guarding the entire village while the injured were admitted to different health facilities in Kagadi.

VICTIMS

The deceased have been identified as Boniface Rogers Nyirambe; Yokononia Isakara, 76; Norah Kabuwere, 64; Praise Muhindo; Anitah Kabugho, 44; Masika Kabagenyi, 3; Ferdinand Baluku, 13; Olive Kabugo, 13; Obedi Baguma and David Munyirambe, 36. The injured include Rodgers Bwambale, Joy Bambu, Christine Biira, Deborah Kyakimwa, Julius Omuge, Elimusi Mukadelwa, Biira Birungi, and one Kambale