BUSIA. Machete -wielding attackers raided two homes in Busia District on Thursday night, targeting An opposition parliamentary candidate and a school head teacher in what residents say is the latest wave of violent robberies in Dabani Sub-county.
The assailants first struck the home of Kennedy Wanyama, the National Unity Platform (NUP) party parliamentary candidate for Busia Municipality, at Buwuma A village shortly after midnight.
Wanyama said the criminals used axes and machetes as to cut through his doors after disabling security systems.
He told this publication that the gang disconnected electricity from a nearby pole, knocking out his CCTV cameras, before climbing over his perimeter wall.
Once inside the compound, they cut open the front door, entered his sitting room and later forced their way into his bedroom.
The attackers made off with more than Shs5 million and his mobile phones.
“The attackers who had masked their faces ordered us to surrender all the valuables including money or else they killed us,” Wanyama said.
He added that the group warned him to “get out of politics”, raising concerns that the assault may have been politically motivated.
From Buwuma A, the criminals moved to Sibarara Village, where they raided the home of Mr Deogratius Mugeni, the headmaster of Buhobe SS. Mugeni told NTV Uganda that he heard a bang at his gate before seeing torchlight as the gang cut through his doors.
According to him, the criminals stole four smartphones and undisclosed cash from his house.
“They kept shouting in Kiswahili threatening to kill but moved out of the house after neighbors started throwing stones and alarming,” Mugeni said. Police arrived moments later but failed to trace the suspects.
After the attacks, police deployed a canine unit which tracked a scent from Wanyama’s home to the residence of Patrick Okumu, a bricklayer in Buwuma A.
Tony Ajute, the police dog handler, told residents gathered outside the home that “the dog has tracked the scent of the suspects from the home of one of the victims up to here”.
However, Okumu was not home at the time. His father, Raphael Barasa, dismissed any suggestion of his son’s involvement.
“My son has no criminal records, he simply earns his living through brick making, for the police dog to track for the suspects up to his door surprises me,” Barasa said.
Local chairperson Yesse Opio also defended Okumu but said it was the second time this month that panga-wielding criminals had attacked the village.
As investigations continue, residents say insecurity is worsening.
Iddi Muhmad Kibaki warned the community to remain alert.
“Since the festive season is first approaching, we advise our people to be extra careful because we are most likely to surge,” Kibaki said.