In Kyenjojo District, western Uganda, top security and political leaders are under growing public scrutiny following a series of brutal killings and escalating tribal tensions in Matiri, and neighboring villages.
Local leaders and residents’ reports paint a picture of violence, fear, and alleged corruption that has left at least six (6) people dead since the beginning of this year, with others injured, displaced, or living in constant terror.
The attacks, reportedly targeting non-Batooro people living in Matiri and surrounding villages, who own land there, have raised questions about the conduct of district authorities and the silence of security agencies. Residents accuse the district’s top officials, including the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Ms. Ayesiga Julian Sarah, the LC5 Chairperson Mr. Gilbert Akiki Rubaihayo, and the District Police Commander (DPC) SP Edith Basalirwa, of allegedly protecting the killers and turning a blind eye to the violence.
Among the dead is 60-year-old Mohamed Kasenene, a Mukiga, who was killed last Saturday night at his home. His body was found in a pool of blood, bearing multiple deep panga cuts. Before him, several others, including Erick Kakiza, Kendice Matagyisa, Kajoina, and Twesigye Peter, were killed in a similar manner, hacked to death by assailants who, according to anonymous local leaders we spoke to, operate openly and sometimes even attack in broad daylight.
Sources from the area allege that the killings are orchestrated by a known group of about 40 people, believed to be from the Batooro community. The group is said to be mobilized and protected by powerful figures in the district. Victims are non-Batooro and non-Banyoro who bought land in the area, some from the very people now demanding they vacate it.
Locals report that these attacks are not only about killing but also intimidation. Victims’ homes are reportedly destroyed, animals stolen or slaughtered, and women and young girls subjected to sexual violence. Several survivors have reportedly been left disabled, with some losing hands or legs to machete attacks.
Despite repeated pleas for help, residents say no serious action has been taken by authorities. Some local leaders claim that even when names of suspects are given to police, no arrests are made, and even when arrests are effected, the suspects are released without being taken to court. One LC1 leader told this publication that he offered his own house to the police to be used as a temporary police post for free for a year, but there has been no response from the security command in the district.
The fear in Matiri is now so deep that some families lock themselves indoors before sunset, fearing to be the next victims. Others have fled their homes, leaving their houses and land behind.
Beyond the killings, the RDC of Kyenjojo district, Ms. Ayesiga Julian Sarah, faces further accusations of involvement in illegal business activities inside the Matiri Forest Reserve. Reports allege that she operates a farm and timber dealings within the forest through her sister, while publicly presenting herself as an environmental defender. Sources allege that large sections of the forest have been cleared for personal farming and timber cutting, activities reportedly linked to her and other local figures. Despite this, she continues to enjoy praise from her appointing bosses for her supposed fight against deforestation.
Land conflict has long been a thorn in Kyenjojo’s side, but in Matiri, the matter appears to have taken a tribal dimension. Many of the affected families are reported to have bought their land legally, some with titles dating back to their parents and grandparents. However, tensions escalated after local elites began claiming that certain parcels belong to the Tooro Kingdom, insisting that non-Batooro occupants should vacate.
In one particular dispute, a local politician and lawyer named Mugisha Vincent claims ownership of about half a mile of land he legally purchased from a man known as Kanyankore, who had acquired it from the King of Tooro. However, some Batooro residents contest his ownership, insisting that the land belongs to them by heritage.
When reached for comment, one of the NRM leaders Mr. Vicente Kandole, denied the existence of tribal killings, blaming Mugisha for stirring chaos over land. Mugisha, however, maintains that the attacks are clearly tribal and target people from outside the Tooro tribe community.
Sources told our reporter that with the help of the district political leaders, and the DISO, Ayesiga has blocked her transfer on different occasions, as she’s backed by these leaders, with whom, according to reports, she works hand in hand. The leaders always defend Ayesiga and day the district still needs her, but residents say it’s only because they fear that the person who would come after her, may not accept to engage in their dirty deals.
The situation around Matiri Forest has also attracted public attention. After concerns of land grabbing and deforestation, President Yoweri Museveni reportedly ordered the Uganda Forestry Authority (UFA) to demarcate and protect the forest land. However, sources claim that instead of safeguarding it, UFA officials allocated large chunks to themselves and district leaders (a claim we haven’t ascertained), and Hundreds of acres that were initially part of the forest reserve are said to have been illegally shared out, fueling even more tension in the area.
When contacted by phone, RDC, Ayesiga, said she could only respond to the accusations if met physically at her office in Kyenjojo, explaining that she could not trust anyone who reached her only by phone. Efforts to reach LC5 Chairman Mr. Gilbert Akiki Rubaihayo for comment were unsuccessful as he did not answer our call.
Meanwhile, SP Edith Basalirwa, the District Police Commander, could not be reached by press time for a response.
Locals say they have lost confidence in the district’s security structures, which they accuse of protecting perpetrators instead of victims. Many now believe that only intervention from the central government can restore peace and order in the area.
