KAMPALA – The Uganda Law Society has urged government to step measures to safeguard citizens against rising gun violence.
The concern comes after one of their members, Isaac Sendegeya, who is based in Kisoro Town, was on Saturday night gunned down at the doorway of his house.
Ms Pheona Nabasa, the vice president of the Uganda Law Society, said they were shocked by the killing of their member and said police should strengthen community policing.
“We have lost a young promising lawyer that loved his people; that is why he opted to work in the rural home district,” Ms Nabasa said in an interview on Sunday.
Mr Timothy Twikirize of Twikirize & Co. Advocates owned by Sendegeya said the deceased was a down-to-earth lawyer and cooperated with colleagues to resolve community conflicts.
He said: “It’s my prayer that the security apparatus in the area should do all that is required to ensure that the culprits are brought to book …”
Details of his final hours, including where he visited and persons in his company, remained scanty. It was unclear if Sendegeya faced a particular threat to his life by reason of his work or other engagement.
The family said the deceased had not discussed with them any danger to his life.
The widow, Ms Dinah Komugisha, said they last spoke by telephone last Friday and in the conversation, she asked Sendegeya to pick up their son from primary school and drop him off at home.
The deceased opened law chambers in Kisoro town in 2012 and has been working there until his grisly killing yesterday.
Kisoro Grade One Magistrate, Mr Rapheal Vueni, described Sendegeya as a patriotic lawyer who was committed to working and faithful to clients.
“A lawyer at his level to put up his chambers in his home district is an indicator that he loved to serve the people in the community where he was born. As the legal fraternity, we have lost a great person,” he added.
Security forces had arrested no suspect by Sunday evening, said Resident District Commissioner Peter Mugisha, who chairs the district security committee. It remained unclear what clues investigators were pursuing.
Mr Abel Bizimana, the Kisoro district chairman, said the deceased was genial and interacted with people of all walks of life.
In October 2017, another lawyer, Adam Haibala Mulongo, was hit with an object as he reversed the car inside his compound in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb. He dies shortly after.
