Ugly Realities: Mob Justice

When I returned from my trip to Kenya in early January, I received some disturbing news from my colleagues at Buddukiro. Apparently one of our former street children, now in his early twenties, was stoned to death in a neighboring village on New Year’s Day. His crime? Allegedly stealing a goat…

It’s not uncommon to hear this kind of story- a mob of angry community members catches up with a suspected thief, puts a tire around them and lights it on fire (…or lynches, or beheads, or stones…) him. This is a challenge the people involved with prison ministry at MPC have identified- even if a person has served their time in jail, anger often still smoulders against them back in their home village, and it may be unsafe for them to return.

In talking with some of my friends and colleagues, it sounds like part of what fuels this fire, so to speak, is people’s frustration and a pervading feeling that the formal justice system will not render justice, or will not do so in a timely manner. I’ve typed in an article below. It’s from the local newspaper and illustrates this point pretty graphically…

2 Beheaded in Kayunga
Daily Monitor, April 7, 2009, by Fred Muzaale

Residents in Mansa village, Kitimbwa Sub-county in Kayunga District yesterday be-headed two men suspected to be cattle thieves.

The district officer-in-charge of Criminal Investigations Department, Mr. Mohammed Kateregga, identified the dead as J__ M__, a bodaboda cyclist in Kayunga town, and another one only identified as M___.

Mr. Katergga said on Monday night, the two residents of Kanjuki village in Kayunga Sub-county went to Mansa village and allegedly stole one cow from Ms. Esther Nabakooza. “When Ms. Mabakooza discovered that her cow had been stolen, she informed area residents, who mounted a hunt for it until they discovered it hidden behind Mayaja’s house in Kanjuki village.” Mr. Kateregga said.

“On seeing the cow, the irate residents, who were armed with machetes, pounced on Mayanja and started hacking him but before he died he told the mob that he had stolen the cow with the help of his friend M___,” he added.

Mr Kateregga said the angry residents proceeded to the neighbouring Kyamimbi village where they arrested M__. “After arresting him, they dragged him to their village and beheaded him. By the time we arrived at the scene we found the two already dead,” he said.

He said Police was still investigating the incident and those who were involved in the murder will be prosecuted.

“Even though one is caught in any wrongdoing, no one has the right to kill him or her. If we get anyone taking part in acts of mob ‘justice’ we shall charge them with murder,” Mr. Kateregga said.

Cases of animal theft have been on the increase in Kayunga where more than 50 have been taken since the year started.

Meanwhile, Kayunga residents last week asked the government to provide them with guns to defend themselves against the landlords who were evicting them forcefully from the land they had occupied for long.

But Housing State Minister Michael Werikhe turned down their request citing increased violence.

A Police Crime report released recently indicated a 100% increase in cases of mob action from 184 in 2007, to 368 last year.