Tensions boiled over in Kibuku District on Saturday evening after a bitter land dispute between relatives erupted into violence, leaving a permanent home in flames, livestock stolen, and several mourners, including a pastor, taken into police custody.
The chaos began during preparations for the burial of Sikola Nyomera Baguma, a 40-year-old former Woman Councillor for Lwatama Parish, who tragically died on Friday morning in a motorcycle accident along the Buseta–Kapyani road while on her way to buy vegetables for her daily business.
Conflict flared when mourners attempted to transport Sikola’s body to the compound of Bazibuzu Frank, a relative and opponent in an ongoing land case, locally known as “Lawyer.” They began digging a grave next to his home in defiance of the court’s ongoing deliberations over the disputed land.
When Bazibuzu blocked the burial, the situation spiraled out of control. Angry villagers set his permanent house ablaze—a structure roofed with roughly 200 iron sheets—before slaughtering several cows, driving away about 70 head of cattle, and looting his property, including more than 500 chickens, 50 turkeys, 15 goats, and 5 pigs. Three truckloads of timber were also reportedly destroyed, according to Bazibuzu in an interview with DailyExpress.
Police arrived on the scene but were initially overwhelmed, prompting the use of tear gas to disperse the mob. Reinforcements later managed to arrest several individuals, including Pastor Kirya Brian of Lwatama Sub-county, Pastor of Sunrise Global Church Balonde Febiano, and his church member, Appolo Gumisiriza, who works in Mbale.
Pastor Kirya maintained that he had come “only to pray” and denied involvement in the violence, attempting to distance himself from the mob’s actions. Meanwhile, authorities exhumed Sikola’s body, which had already been lowered into the grave, and transferred it to the mortuary at Kibuku Health Centre IV.
A police officer at the scene, speaking anonymously, condemned the attack, questioning, “How can an accidental death be connected to a land matter that is already in court?” Lwatama Sub-county LCIII Chairperson Kato Azalia also visited briefly but declined to comment on the unfolding crisis.
By press time, official statements from authorities regarding arrests, charges, and next steps in the investigation were still pending, leaving the community in shock over the scale of destruction and the violent clash over the disputed land.
