The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 600 acres of sugarcane plantations belonging to Kakira Sugar factory have been set ablaze.
They were allegedly burnt on Wednesday by residents of Nailo village in Kakira town council, who were protesting the death of their colleague.
The deceased, Batista Atayo, was on Sunday night shot dead by a guard attached to industrial security services on allegations that he had stolen metallic scrap from one of the plantations, an accusation denied by the residents.
Atayo’s body was later dumped at Jinja regional referral hospital mortuary, where two bullets were removed from his body.
Angry residents then stormed Kakira police division, demanding for the arrest of the guard in vain.
Sultan Ritochi, a resident says that they were forced to torch the plantation to express disappointment over failure by the police to take action.
Charles Wamono, another resident says that security organs are reluctant to enforce law and order whenever they receive complaints from residents.
The Kakira town council LCIII chairperson, Sande Kabule says that although he is against torching the planation, police should exercise fairness.
“Madhivani group is our main investor and I don’t agree with the act of torching down his cane, but for only today, I am forced to believe that, my residents have been pushed to this because police has refused to arrest the suspect whom they even know, this is totally unfair,” he says.
Mayur Madhivani, the managing director of Kakira sugar limited says that the factory has suspended purchase of the out-growers cane so as to enable absorption of the burnt cane.
Jinja Resident District commissioner, Eric Sakwa says that security agencies are investigating the death of Atayo.
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