Fear is growing across Kazo District in Ankole following a series of killings that has left residents demanding answers about who is responsible and what is driving the violence. With the latest death of a 37-year-old man, the number of murder cases recorded in the district between July and September has risen to 14.
The latest victim, Amos Nuwagira, a resident of Bwizi in Buremba, was reportedly attacked and killed at night. His motorcycle was also taken from the scene, raising the possibility of robbery, although investigators have yet to publicly establish the motive behind his killing.
The latest incident has increased pressure on security agencies, with Kazo County MP Dan Kimosho Atwijukire calling for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to reinforce the police in the district.
“At this rate UPDF should reinforce police. This is too much and it seems getting out of hand. The people of Kazo deserve protection from the state. How many more people should be killed for serious action to be taken?” Kimosho said.
The deaths have left residents facing a difficult question: are the killings connected, or is Kazo experiencing several unrelated forms of violent crime at the same time?
So far, authorities have not publicly identified one suspect, gang or organisation responsible for all 14 cases. Police say investigations have revealed different circumstances, with suspects and alleged accomplices varying from one incident to another.
Security agencies have, however, identified Nkungu, Buremba, Kanoni and Ngari sub-counties as some of the areas most affected by the killings. Investigators have also noted that striking victims on the head with blunt objects has featured prominently in several cases, a similarity that has fuelled speculation that some of the incidents could be linked.
One of the clearest motives established so far is robbery.
On September 25, three members of a family were killed at Kagasha 1 Cell in Nkungu Parish, while two children survived with serious injuries. The deceased were identified as Ntegyerize Afusa, 47, and her children, Tumuramye Sudais, 14, and Nuwandinda Asifa, 11.
Police said the attackers allegedly knew the family had received about Shs1.5 million and believed the money was kept inside the house. The assailants reportedly entered through an unsecured back door before attacking the occupants using a hammer, panga and walking stick.
Three suspects — Nuwamanya Christopher, Nuwamanya Micheal and Asiimwe Abel — were subsequently arrested. Police said a sniffer dog helped detectives trace one of the suspects, while exhibits recovered from the suspects’ homes were being preserved for forensic examination.
The case offers the strongest publicly documented indication that at least some of the killings may have been motivated by robbery. It does not, however, explain the other deaths.
The mystery became deeper after three children were killed in Kajuzya Cell, Nkungu Sub-county, on August 30. The victims were Catherine Akankwatsa, 14, Grace, 13, and Deus Arinaitwe, 10.
A three-year-old boy survived but was injured. Their parents had reportedly travelled elsewhere in search of employment, leaving the children at home. Police said the motive had not been established and investigations were continuing.
The killing of children has particularly alarmed residents because the circumstances do not immediately correspond with the robbery motive established in the Kagasha case.
Security officials are therefore examining a wider range of possible explanations, including domestic disputes, land conflicts, repeat offenders, drug abuse, illegal gambling and other local security problems.
During a September 30 security meeting in Kazo attended by police, intelligence officers, local leaders and politicians, authorities reviewed the killings and discussed possible causes. Police said community intelligence and surveillance would be strengthened through neighbourhood-watch arrangements and village security committees.
Land disputes have also featured in public discussions, but no comprehensive investigation has publicly established that land conflicts are responsible for the 14 murders.
Likewise, claims that a rebel group or one organised gang is behind the killings remain unsubstantiated.
The concentration of incidents in particular areas, nighttime attacks and similarities in the methods used have naturally raised suspicions of a coordinated operation. Yet police maintain that the suspects and circumstances differ from case to case.
That distinction is crucial. Authorities are currently investigating a cluster of serious murders without publicly confirming that the cases form one organised campaign.
The concern has reached Parliament. On September 29, Kimosho told lawmakers that 10 people had been killed in Kazo between August 17 and September 27. MPs from Kazo and neighbouring Kiruhura also reported more than 15 deaths across the two areas within roughly a month.
Those figures have since changed as additional cases have been reported and investigations reviewed.
In response to the growing alarm, the Mbarara-Rwizi Regional Security team held discussions with Kazo leaders, MPs and community representatives. The meeting resolved to strengthen community policing, improve information sharing and revive village security committees.
Kimosho has also demanded stronger investigative capacity and increased deployment, while fellow Kazo MP Juma Witonze Kisekka said he had engaged security leaders and pushed for additional teams to reinforce the security presence.
President Yoweri Museveni has also acknowledged concerns over killings in Greater Ankole and directed security agencies to investigate reported deaths and theft. He said police should maintain a presence at sub-county level and indicated that he would engage police leadership over security gaps.
For families who have lost relatives, however, official assurances are not enough. They want to know who carried out the attacks and why.
At this stage, investigators have linked at least one triple murder to an alleged robbery involving Shs1.5 million, while other cases remain unresolved. Authorities are examining domestic violence, land-related disputes, substance abuse, illegal gambling, repeat offenders and other security threats.
Nuwagira’s death may provide another important lead because his motorcycle was reportedly stolen after the attack. That could point toward robbery, but investigators must establish what happened before, during and after the killing before reaching a conclusion.
The same caution applies to claims involving political motives, rebel activity or an organised killing squad.
The biggest question now facing investigators is whether the 14 deaths are connected or whether Kazo is witnessing several different types of violent crime at once.
Answering that question will require forensic evidence, phone records, weapons, stolen property, eyewitness testimony, intelligence reports and links between suspects.
Until those connections are established, Kazo remains caught between fear and uncertainty. Residents want the killers identified, families want justice, and the wider Ankole community wants to understand why people are being attacked in their homes and on the roads — and whether the next victim could already be in someone’s sights.
