In Kagadi district’s Mabaale town council, a recent surge in armed robberies has targeted businesswomen. Within just five days, two separate incidents occurred, leaving local residents concerned for their safety.
The most recent incident happened at approximately 8 pm on Wednesday night when Shamilla Nakawesi, a businesswoman operating a motorcycle shop, was robbed at gunpoint. Nakawesi was returning home from her shop when armed assailants emerged from a nearby bush, brandishing firearms. They forcibly held her at gunpoint, demanding she surrender all the money in her possession. After acquiring the money, the robbers fired shots into the air and quickly fled the scene.
This incident closely followed another armed robbery in Mabaale town council that occurred just five days prior. During this earlier incident, a businesswoman named Evarce Kutusa Nyabwana, who operates a hardware shop in the area, was targeted. As she was heading home, she was attacked and robbed of Shs 4 million in cash at gunpoint. The assailants, two in number, approached her from a nearby bush, threatening her and demanding her valuables while warning her not to raise the alarm. After taking her bag containing money, they fired shots into the air before making their escape.
Nyabwana, who had collapsed during the robbery, was swiftly rushed to St. Ambrose Health Center III for medical attention. These back-to-back incidents have raised concerns about the safety of businesswomen in Kagadi district.
