Nearly UGX 6 million has been whisked away by suspected thugs who raided the Kimaanya-Kabonera Boda Boda Myooga Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Sacco) office in Masaka City. The daring theft happened on Wednesday, July 3, and left the Sacco members scratching their heads and questioning their trust in the Boda Boda community.
The raid occurred in Kijjabwemi, a bustling suburb of Masaka City, known for its vibrant market and the occasional stray goat causing traffic jams. Around 20 men, led by one Abdallah Ssenabulya, allegedly stormed the Sacco office, making away with the hard-earned savings of the boda boda riders. It’s a plot twist straight out of a Kinna-Uganda film.
Sacco chairperson, Ibrah Kiyimba, recounted the shocking incident. “We were just having our usual meeting to discuss loan applications. We had just withdrawn Shs900,000 from the bank, and another group had brought back Shs5 million. Suddenly, these men barged in, and before we knew it, the money was gone,” Kiyimba explained, visibly shaken. It’s as if the money had grown wings and flown off into the sunset.
The thieves didn’t just stop at the money. They also vandalized portraits of some of Uganda’s most revered figures—President Museveni, Kabaka Mutebi II, and State Minister for Micro Finance, Haruna Kasolo. It seems the attackers had no respect for authority, culture, or even good taste in office décor.
Abdallah Ssenabulya, the alleged mastermind, vehemently denied the accusations. He claimed he was actually the victim, having been beaten up by Sacco members. Ssenabulya reported the incident to the police, insisting he only visited the office to investigate suspicions of mismanaged Emyooga funds.
Ssenabulya denied carrying a pistol, stating he only had a wooden tobacco pipe, known locally as an ’emindi’. He believes his fellow riders mistook it for a gun, showing how imagination can run wild when paranoia sets in.
Gonzaga Muteesasira, the coordinator of the Emyooga Programme in Greater Masaka, expressed his disappointment. He condemned the infighting among Sacco leaders, warning that such disputes could derail the entire program. “We will investigate and ensure the money is recovered. We suspect some individuals are trying to sabotage the Myooga program, but we won’t let that happen,” Muteesasira assured, sounding like a stern headmaster addressing unruly students.
Southern Region Police Spokesperson, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the incident and said investigations are underway. “We have summoned Ssenabulya to record a statement, as he is suspected of leading the raid and stealing Sacco money,” Kasirye stated. It looks like the police are in for a long, twisting investigation, possibly involving more than a few cups of tea and scoops of Katogo.
