WAKISO.
Children of the late Erusaama Sonko of Kibujjo-Seeta, Bembe Parish, Namayumba Sub County in Wakiso District are in fear after suspected killers of their brother Tom Kato threatened to kill more.
Kato was murdered on Sunday (February 15) at around 9pm by machete-wielding assailants from his home, with no clear reports behind their motive.
“A friend with a bar in the area sent someone to warn me after people who seemed to have a crew on the murder threatened to kill all the remaining children of our late father and that I’m the next,” Ms Prossy Nakirijja, a sister of Kato said, adding that the informer didn’t name the suspected killers.
She has said even her late brother (Kato) was first threatened before being killed. With all that fear, Nakirijja has nowhere to go and is ready to die.
“Maybe that will be the end of my calender. After the burial, I will be going back to my home in Bulenya,” she added.
The remaining children of the late Sonko are; Nakirijja, Gertrude Namukasa Gwokyalya, Alex Ssegenze, and Moses Luyimbaazi.
Mr Luyimbaazi, the family heir, said the incident stemmed from land conflicts, with six children of their late brother John Wasswa who died last year in November, allegedly demanding a share on a six-acre piece of land of the family.
“They are working with Edward Muwanga (our brother), and some other man to finish the whole family before they take over our land,” he said, revealing that their first target is on the outspoken children of their late father.
The Monitor has learnt that no divisions were done on this land ever since the death of Sonko who was the owner of the estate. Erusaama Sonko died 20 years ago.
Now children of Wasswa aged between 35 and 40 years are allegedly demanding ownership of this land and they want to chase away all the other family members. No one of the suspected children attended the burial ceremony yesterday.
The same group of children were claiming Kato (deceased) killed their father, Wasswa, even after the police report indicated it was suffocation.
Last year, after the death of Wasswa, his twin brother Kato was briefly arrested on claims he was behind his death.
“I fled the village and went into hiding after arresting Kato because I knew I was among the targets. Since then, it is the first time I’m returning to this village,” Mr Luyimbaazi further explained.
Ms Gwokyalya, a sister to the deceased who lives in Mityana, said she stopped coming to their ancestral home for fear of her life.
Additionally, the children of Wasswa have for the past two months been threatening to beat her up once she speaks about issues related to land.
“I’m very weak and I cannot involve myself in exchange of words with those young children. Every time they mocked me, I would keep quiet. I nearly missed this burial for fear of being attacked but my siblings assured me of personal security.”
Speaking at the send off ceremony yesterday, Mr Muwanga condemned the incident, asking the mourners to pray for them, noting that this is the first time they are experiencing this murder in the family.
“I’m still in shock. Let’s pray that such incidents don’t happen again. We ask the police to speed up investigations into the matter.” Earlier, he denied having a hand in the murder as it was claimed by his siblings.
Mr Solomon Ntale, the vice chairperson of the village, condemned the incident and advised whoever has misunderstandings to address them through diplomatic means.
“If the murderers were members of this family as we have heard, there are better ways they could handle the conflicts other than killing. Let’s all pray for this family of Erusaama,” he said.