The younger sister to slain Maria Nagirinya Gateni, a staff at (CIDI) a Non-Government Organisation is scared of her life.
Bernadette Nakidde, who sighted in the face with her sister’s abductors on a fateful night. She says that one of the men who took Nagirinya looked at each other. In a moment as she struggled to intercept them.
Nakidde said ,” her sister called for the gate to be opened, she came out only to find the car”. It was reversing with Nagirinya shouting her lungs out: “temuntwala, temuntwala’ (Do not take me).
“There happened to be a man who was wearing a red jacket and white shirt and his were big eyes and some beards. I looked at him and he also sighted at me too. this made me not sure whether he kept my face, I don’t know how safe I am. I am so afraid of my life.”
Nagirinya was snatched from outside her residence while she waited for Nakidde to open the gate. Police earlier maintained that they had spotted her car around Kireka. Being driven by a man in a red jacket but later vanished off the CCTV grid.
Nagirinya’s car was later found in Nateete where it had been dumped for over 24 hours. Before her body and that of her driver, Ronald Kitayimbwa were retrieved from a swamp in Mukono.
Speaking during her burial over the weekend, the family vowed not to rest the matter until the culprits are apprehended.
Dr. Ben Mukwaya, the uncle to the deceased, criticized police for their slow investigations and failure to protect their daughter. And vowed not to give up the fight until their daughter gets justice.
“I saw the level of incompetence, detachment, lack of empathy, lack of professionalism in the way the security agencies were handling the issues of Maria. We shall not rest until we get justice, Maria is not Suzan Magara or Muhammad Kirumira,” he said.
Father Pius Male the Chancellor of Kampala Diocese who led the requiem mass condemned the rampant murders in the country.
“Mr. Pius also wondered if those killers are really human beings like us and by the way those who killed her where do they live?” he asked.
Nagirinya’s sister Bena Nakyejwe narrated her ordeal on the fateful Wednesday night when Maria was kidnapped and later killed by the perpetrators.
“She heard her while at the back seat of the car, pleading and shouting for mercy. Please don’t take me that is when I got scared and started shivering,” she narrated.
Nagirinya’s father revealed that he had received a phone call from President Museveni assuring him of thorough investigations into the matter.
Nagirinya’s Body was laid to rest at Kibuye a Kampala suburb in Makindye division after a requiem mass at St Peter’s Catholic Church Nsambya
