Residents of Bumwenha B Village, Malongo Sub-county, Mayuge District, were enraged and killed a 41-year-old man identified as Moses Wepukulu.
The incident occurred after Wepukulu’s brother, Martin Sangula, 38, allegedly mutilated a young man named Peter Munghala, son of Fred Mudenyi, by cutting off his private parts during a traditional circumcision ritual.
The two brothers, both residents of Kawempe Swere Village, Kapyanhga Sub-county in Bugiri District, had been hired to perform the circumcision rituals.
Witnesses reported that during the ceremony, disagreements broke out among the spectators over how the circumcision was being conducted.
The tension escalated into chaos, with Wepukulu, who was assisting Sangula, shoving against the candidate. This led to the accidental mutilation of Munghala, the circumcision candidate (Omusinde).
Outraged by the act, the community members attacked the two brothers, lynching Wepukulu on the spot. Sangula narrowly escaped death after intervention by the area LCI Chairman, Mubarak Bogere.
However, he was severely beaten and rushed to Bumwenha Health Centre for treatment.
Norman Musinga, the Police Commander of Busoga East, condemned the mob justice, urging residents to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
“We are investigating the matter, and all perpetrators will be brought to book,” Musinga stated.
The victim, Peter Munghala, was rushed to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for urgent medical care.
As the year nears its end, the Bagisu community across Busoga continues its circumcision rituals, marked by the sounds of Kadodi drums.
Many candidates line up to undergo the Imbalu circumcision ceremony to meet the even-year deadline.
The Imbalu ritual, a cornerstone of Bagisu tradition, initiates boys into manhood. It is a mandatory rite of passage for all males in the community before death.