By Robert Segawa
Shock and grief have engulfed residents of Kiwawu in Mityana District after a 23-year-old woman allegedly locked herself inside a house and set it ablaze following a disagreement with her husband.
The deceased has been identified as Irene Nakagulire, a resident of Kasiba Village in Kiwawu Parish, Malangala Sub-county, Mityana District.
Nakagulire allegedly locked herself inside the house and set it on fire, resulting in her death.
It is alleged that before the incident, Nakagulire had a disagreement with her husband, Zirigwa Henry, whom she accused of contemplating reuniting with his former wife.
According to Lameck Kigozi, the Wamala Region Police spokesperson, the couple had a quarrel that forced the husband to flee from the home.
An eyewitness, whose name has been withheld, told police that after the husband left, Nakagulire hired a boda boda rider to take their four-year-old daughter to their home in Muduuma, Mpigi District.
Immediately after the boda boda rider left, Nakagulire reportedly locked herself inside the house and set it on fire.
Neighbours noticed the fire after it had already gutted much of the house.
Efforts by residents to rescue her proved futile because she had locked the door from inside. The neighbours reportedly attempted to break through the wall to gain access to the house, but their efforts failed.
As a result, Nakagulire was burnt beyond recognition.
Residents informed the area chairman, Ssekasi Baker, who subsequently reported the incident to Kiwawu Police Station.
Police at Kiwawu called for technical support from the Mityana District Police headquarters, prompting the deployment of a homicide team to the scene.
The team documented and profiled the scene, while statements from witnesses were recorded.
Kigozi said the deceased’s body, which had been burnt beyond recognition, was taken to the Mityana General Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination.
Meanwhile, the deceased’s mother-in-law, Nanyonjo Margret, said she first received a telephone call from her son, who complained that he was fed up with his wife’s habits of smoking and drinking alcohol, which he said made him uncomfortable.
“Shortly after my son’s call, the deceased also rang me, informing me that her husband was chasing her away and was planning to bring back his former wife. She told me that she was not ready to accept that unless her husband took his former wife to another home,” Nanyonjo said.
She added that shortly afterwards, Nakagulire’s phone went off.
Kigozi appealed to couples living together, whether legally married, cohabiting or in other relationships, to find peaceful ways of resolving disagreements and preventing conflicts from escalating.
“We appeal to our people staying together under one roof, either legally married, cohabiting or in a contractual relationship, to always devise better means of de-escalation in case of disagreements,” Kigozi said.
Police said inquiries into the incident are ongoing.
