The former headmaster of Mwiri Primary School in Kakira town council, Jinja District, Mr. Alex Isabirye, breathed his last after succumbing to severe injuries inflicted in a brutal machete attack on Sunday morning. This unfortunate incident adds to a series of violent crimes in the Bugembe area, following the recent deaths of Prossy Nyanga, a renowned weightlifter, and Rogers Kifubangabo, son of Busoga Kingdom’s Minister for Information, Mr. Michael Kifubangabo.
Mr. Isabirye dedicated over four decades of his life to education, serving as a career educator until his retirement from Mwiri Primary School on his 60th birthday, May 1, 2020. Throughout his illustrious career, he imparted knowledge and values to countless students within various educational institutions.
The fatal attack on Mr. Isabirye occurred early on Friday morning, around 5:30 am, as he left his residence in Nakanyonyi village, Jinja North City Division, purportedly en route to Miracle Centre Church for morning prayers. He was intercepted by assailants riding a motorcycle, who demanded his belongings, mistaking a small bag he carried for valuables. Tragically, the bag contained only a Bible, which failed to deter the assailants from inflicting multiple stab wounds upon him with a suspected machete.
According to reports from his immediate neighbor, who preferred to remain anonymous, the altercation between Mr. Isabirye and the attackers resulted in a violent scuffle, during which Mr. Isabirye sustained severe lacerations to his head. The neighbor, upon witnessing the commotion, observed the assailants fleeing the scene before assisting Mr. Isabirye and arranging for transportation to a nearby health facility in Bugembe town.
Despite initial efforts to stabilize his condition, Mr. Isabirye was subsequently transferred to Jinja regional referral hospital and later to Mulago national referral hospital, where regrettably, he passed away on Saturday.
Confirming the incident, Mr. Henry Kitambula, the Jinja South Division Deputy Resident City Commissioner, condemned the resurgence of machete-wielding criminal elements in the area. He assured the public that security forces are actively pursuing leads to apprehend those responsible for Mr. Isabirye’s murder, highlighting previous arrests of suspected criminals in response to community concerns.
Mr. Isabirye’s untimely demise has left a void in the education sector and the community at large. His legacy as an esteemed educator resonates through the numerous schools where he served, including Namalere Primary School, Budondo Primary School, Njeru Primary School, Nakanyonyi Primary School, and Mwiri Primary School. Post-retirement, Mr. Isabirye diversified his interests, engaging in commercial poultry farming and other entrepreneurial ventures, demonstrating his commitment to lifelong learning and productivity beyond the classroom.
