Police in Central Uganda’s Kyankwanzi District are investigating circumstances under which eight members of the same family perished in a house fire that left five others injured.
The incident occurred in the wee hours of Friday morning at Kalagi B Village, Kalagi- Masode Town Council in Kyankwanzi District.
Police have identified the deceased as 60-year-old Juliana Agnes Mukansiime who died together with her two daughters Mariam Nawanyana,36, and Zaituni Mukakigyeri ,32. Three of her grandchildren, Patricia Namubiru,8, Leticia Nsinga,6, and Patrick Kisakye,2, also died in the fire in addition to 2 youngsters aged 7 each, Martine Byakatonda and Gerald Bbale.
Some of the injured inlcude Nyabutono Mukambabuka,30, Ruth Namata,16 and a 10-year-old girl who was only identified as Mumbejja.
According to Kalagi B Village chairperson Patrick Kyalimpa, both Mukakigyeri and Byakatonda were pronounced dead shortly after being admitted at Kiboga General Hospital.
The local leader said he suspected the fire to have been started by Nawanyana because she has been locked in a long standing land dispute with other family members.
The disputed piece of land measuring six acres is located at Kiseresi Village.
“It is really a shocking incident but Nawanyana has been fighting for that piece of land, sometimes threatening to kill her siblings with some claiming that their father did not evenly distribute properties among his children,” Kyalimpa added.
However, police preliminary investigations revealed that the family head the (late John Luwawuka) was facing financial challenges while treating his wife (Juliana Agnes Mukansiime ).
“To bail out his family, he sold a Kibanja (plot of land) to Nawanyana at Shs6m.
However, this didn’t go down well with other family members who protested against Nawanyana’s Kibanja acquisition,” Wamala regional police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said
“On Thursday, Nawanyana spent a night sharing intoxicating drinks with other family members at her own expense and at around 03:56am (Friday) while in the house with others, she locked the door with padlocks and poured petrol all over herself and then set herself on fire which spread to the entire house, causing death of six people and injuring five others,” Wamala Regional Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala disclosed.
Kawala also disclosed that the injured are currently getting treatment in Kiboga Hospital.
“The scene of crime has been visited and documented and the six bodies, including that of Mukankubito have been conveyed to Kiboga General Hospital mortuary for postmortem as inquiries xcontinue,” she remarked late Friday.
