A herbalist in Uganda, Christian Mugazi, has been killed following an attack he led on police and military bases in Bundibugyo, which resulted in the deaths of two people and the destruction of of government property.
Mugazi and about 20 accomplices were tracked to their hideout, where a clash with security forces ensued, leading to his death along with some of his associates.
The deputy head of Bundibugyo District, Albert Kaliruga, said the insurgents used machine guns and machetes to attack police and military posts, killing a soldier and a civilian.
Kaliruga explained yesterday that Mugazi and his group also launched attacks in Bundibugyo, Kasese, and Fort Portal districts, near Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the aim of seizing weapons to form a tribal militia.
“The attack was led by a man named Christian Asuman Mugazi, a traditional ruler,” Kaliruga said.
“He was cornered at his hideout in Kakuka, Bundibugyo, on Tuesday and was killed along with 20 of his fighters, while 15 others were arrested.
“He was using a shrine in Kakuka to indoctrinate and recruit people into his criminal group. At the shrine, we recovered traditional herbs, charms, and other items he used to recruit and supposedly protect his fighters during battles,” Kaliruga added.
The Ugandan government and the DRC have continued to implement joint security measures to curb threats along their shared border—a remote and often lawless region that has long been home to multiple militias, including affiliates of the Islamic State group.
