The family of Maria Nagirinya Gateni, staff at Community Integrated Development Initiatives (CIDI) a Non-Government Organisation, who was kidnapped and later murdered by unknown people, has said that they have not been aware of any life threats towards the deceased.
Nagirinya, 28, who works in the water and sanitation sub-sector at CIDI was waylaid by unknown people while accessing the gate at her rented residence in Busgega. Together with her driver Ronald Kitayimbwa, they were bundled into Nagirinya’s car a Toyota Spacio, registration number UBA570V and taken away amidst wails from Nagirinya.
Body of missing NGO staff kidnapped in Kampala found in Mukono
Two days later, the car was discovered dumped Nateete and hours later, the bodies of the two people were discovered dumped in a water channel at Nakitutuli village, Nama sub-county in Mukono district along the Mukono –Kayunga road.
Speaking at a vigil for the deceased on Friday night, Nagirinya’s sister Hellen Nabulya claimed that they had never received any life threats directed towards Nagirinya before.
She maintained that the deceased had had a very eventful life in her last days in which they met twice, but there was no sign of any threats towards her life.
“I last met with Maria on Sunday, we had a program to go somewhere. She came to pick me at my place and we went for an outing. After the outing, she sent me a message that a cousin of ours had died but it was late and couldn’t go,” Nabulya narrated.
She said that they later met on Monday at the vigil and Nagirinya wondered why Nabulya had come yet she hated being at burial ceremonies.
“We separated on Monday, only to be called back by my father that Maria (Nagirinya) had been kidnapped. I wondered how that would have happened to someone I had been with all this while without anything threatening,” she added.
Nagirinya’s workmate Rose Mwambazi said that the deceased was last seen at around 2:00 pm after a staff training.
“She left at around 2:00 pm after the training. That was the last time we saw her.”
However, no one knows where Nagirinya went to after the work training, because she was not home until around 11:00 pm when she was kidnapped in the same dress she had had earlier.
Speaking at the same vigil, former Deputy Attorney General Freddie Ruhindi advised people to ensure their personal security and that of their close friends.
“I am a close friend to Nagirinya’s father, this girl has just gotten married, the husband is not around, they don’t have a child yet. This is an unfortunate tragedy; it is cruel indeed.”
“Security should be a concern of everyone, there is a tendency of saying the police and army should take care of us which of they should but security should start with you and me. We should be each one’s keeper,” he added.
