Police arrest 11 suspected killers in conflict over land

Muleba. At least 11 people have been arrested in connection with the killing of Kisana villager Perusi Kadei,78, in Muleba District during a clash over land between farmers and herders.

According to witnesses, the inci­dent occurred on Wednesday night and Ms Kadei was slashed by a machete. Also 115 cattle were stolen and one church burnt during the fight.

Kisana village chairman Dektani Kahaya told reporters that other five cattle were seriously wounded. He added that 136 people have been ren­dered homeless after 44 houses were burnt. “After getting the informa­tion on the fight, we visited the area to assess the damage and found five cattle wounded and houses torched,” he said.

Kagera regional police command­er Augustine Ollomi confirmed the incident and that 11 people had been arrested in connection to the killing, torching houses and stealing cattle.

According to Kisana village execu­tive officer Johansen Shumuni, the village leaders had been hiring out a part of land to herders every year for grazing animals.

However, the RPC said the hiring out of land for grazing was the source of the conflict between farmers and herders since they both depend on the same area for farming and graz­ing. The Calvary Assemblies of God Church’s pastor Geoffrey Banini whose church was torched said he escaped with family after seeing a group of angry people coming armed with traditional weapons.

“I identified some of the attackers as they called one another by names”he said.