A fresh wave of terror has gripped Kiringente Sub-County in Mpigi District as armed extortionists operating under the ominous name "Tuzaagala" (We Want) have begun targeting residents with threatening letters. The anonymous notes, signed only by the shadowy group, demand payments under threat of violent consequences, mirroring tactics used by machete-wielding gangs that have previously terrorized various parts of the country.
The chilling letters give victims just four days to deliver specified sums of money, with explicit warnings that failure to comply will result in either loss of life or property. One particularly sinister passage threatens that should recipients report to police,
Saulo Lubega Yombo, chairperson of Kyambizzi Village in Bulansuku, confirmed that two residents recently received these terrifying notes over the past weekend. "When news of these letters spread, we immediately alerted Nakirebe Police Station," he said, adding that local youth had organized patrols, though no formal police response has materialized.
The situation has exposed deeper social tensions, with Lubega noting that many jobless youth in the area became desperate after losing livelihoods when the Busega-Mpigi Expressway project halted.
Emmanuel Ssebulega, security chairperson for Mabuye Village, recounted how resident Jimmy Lubega received a note demanding 500,000 shillings, sending shockwaves through the community. "When we reported to police, they advised vigilance since we lack resources for private security," Ssebulega explained.
Presidential Representative for Mpigi and District Security Chair Amos Kigozi Ssempala acknowledged the crisis, vowing thorough investigation. In stark terms, he warned perpetrators: "If they value their lives, they should stop this immediately – like a dog that stops barking when threatened."
SP Majid Karim of Katonga Region Police confirmed ongoing investigations but couldn't provide progress details when contacted.
This resurgence of machete terror echoes 2022 incidents in Masaka where similar gangs, often targeting elderly victims, operated with impunity. Former police spokesperson Fred Enanga had then briefed the nation on arrests that included suspected parliamentarians, though true masterminds were never unmasked.
As fear spreads through Kiringente, pressing questions remain: Are the letter-writers local residents or outsiders? If outsiders, how did they infiltrate the community? Residents plead with security forces to intensify protection efforts before this terror escalates further.
The situation highlights growing security challenges in central Uganda, where economic desperation and weak law enforcement continue to create fertile ground for criminal enterprises. With the expressway project stalled and youth unemployment rampant, authorities face mounting pressure to prevent Kiringente from becoming the latest hotspot for violent extortion rackets.
