Tension and fear have gripped residents of Kashabarara Cell in Nkuringo Town Council, Kisoro District, following the discovery of suspected witchcraft activity in a local tea plantation.
The incident occurred on Saturday at around 8:00 AM when a resident, Nyiramugisha Odeta, reportedly observed two individuals behaving suspiciously in a tea garden owned by Dr. Karuje.
Odeta claims she quietly followed the pair after noticing unusual items and rituals being performed, prompting her to alert neighbors.
The suspects were later identified as Nyirabanzi Merida, an elderly woman believed to be in her 80s, and Shabani Havugimana, 48, both residents of Rukoro Village in Chahi Sub-county, Kisoro District.
Eyewitnesses said the duo had traveled to the area on a motorcycle operated by a local boda boda rider, Nsengiyunva.
Their presence in the plantation and the nature of their activities sparked alarm, drawing a crowd of curious residents to the scene.
CUE IN ODETA…….ON INCIDENT……RR//
John Munyawera, the Local Council I Chairperson of Kashabarara Cell, confirmed the incident and condemned the alleged witchcraft practices.
He warned residents against engaging in actions that create fear or disturb peace, noting such events, though rare, can cause unrest and dangerous speculation within the community.
CUE IN JOHN……ON INCIDENT……RR//
At the time of reporting, the specific items recovered from the scene had not been identified, and their purpose remains unknown. Police had also not yet commented on the incident.
This is not the first time Kisoro District has faced witchcraft-related controversies. In May this year, Rev. Harrison Kwizera, Parish Priest of Karago Church of Uganda, was arrested along with his brother Herbert Tumushime and Fred Ssindebwa, a self-proclaimed Rwandan prophet, on similar allegations.
The trio was accused of performing rituals during a prayer session at their ancestral home in Kanyenka Village, Muramba Sub-county, aimed at uncovering the spiritual cause of death of their father, the late Rev. Erasmus John Majambere.
During the session, Ssindebwa allegedly dug a hole claiming it would summon a snake linked to the death. He warned the family not to harm it, but when the snake appeared, it was killed.
Following the incident, a family member, Emmanuel Nkurunziza, claimed that his 15-year-old daughter began showing signs of spiritual affliction, which he attributed to the snake spirit.
The Source Reports.
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