MUKONO DISTRICT: 02 October 2026– Tensions are running high on Mbeya Island in Mukono District as residents take to the streets to protest the court release of Jackson Ssebitosi, alias “Big Pig,” a key suspect linked to a wave of violent crimes, including attempted murder and robbery.
Ssebitosi was released on bail on Thursday from Kauga Prison after spending nearly two weeks on remand. He was recently re-arrested on a court warrant after repeatedly failing to appear for his ongoing trial. He is scheduled to return to the Mukono Chief Magistrate’s Court on October 7, 2026.
The decision to grant Ssebitosi bail has sent shockwaves through the community, prompting terrified islanders to petition security agencies to bar both Ssebitosi and his co-accused, Yasin Kasirye, from stepping foot back on the island.
A Trail of Violent Attacks
Ssebitosi and Kasirye are jointly charged under court file number 1324/2023 for the horrific March 2023 assault on Fredrick Namara Karuhanga.
According to court filings and community testimonies, Namara was brutally beaten, set on fire, and left for dead near the shores of Lake Victoria. Marine police officers managed to rescue the victim, who spent several days in a coma before regaining consciousness.
This was not the duo’s first brush with severe violence on the island. Ssebitosi and Kasirye—who served as the Mbeya LC1 secretary—were previously arrested alongside several local officials and residents over the March 22, 2023, murder of fisherman Fred Ntambi.
Ntambi was intercepted while fishing, tortured, and left in a pool of blood along the lakeshore. He later succumbed to his injuries at St. Bernard Clinic in Katosi. During police investigations, Ssebitosi reportedly admitted to beating Ntambi over suspected net theft, though he denied intending to kill him. However, the suspects were eventually released on bail after Ntambi’s sister, a key prosecution witness, withdrew from attending court sessions out of fear.
Mbeya residents accuse Ssebitosi and his associates of operating with impunity due to backing from Major Mark Wanyama, a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer linked to a bitter, long-running land feud on the island. Community members claim Major Wanyama has repeatedly used his influence to secure freedom for the suspects and intimidate victims.
In a stark illustration of this tension, Major Wanyama allegedly orchestrated Namara’s arrest on February 10 this year—just as Namara’s assault case against Ssebitosi was making headway in court. Police attempted to link Namara to a property destruction case (CRB 442/2023), despite court records showing he had never recorded a statement or been previously questioned. Major Wanyama had also previously admitted in a televised media interview to ordering the initial confrontation that left Namara critically injured.
At the root of the island’s instability is a contentious seven-acre parcel of land (Kyaggwe Block 494, Plot 9).
November 2019: Businessman Jackson Twinamasiko bought the land for Shs 70 million from Francis Tyaba (represented via power of attorney by Joyce Lutaaya).
The Conflict: Twinamasiko alleged that Lutaaya fraudulently re-sold the same plot to Major Wanyama, who then deployed armed soldiers to occupy the property.
Military Findings: Petitions to military headquarters led to investigations by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and the Special Investigations Bureau (SIB), both of which found Major Wanyama culpable. The matter was referred to the UPDF Human Rights Department.
Court Enforcement: An interim court order restraining interference on the land was issued, and despite heavy resistance, police enforced the order in January 2024. The civil title ownership case remains pending.
Calls for Intervention
Residents say the combination of land grabbing, unchecked violence, and the continuous release of high-profile crime suspects has left Mbeya Island on edge.
Community leaders are demanding urgent protection for prosecution witnesses and calling on top police leadership and the judiciary to safeguard court proceedings against armed intimidation and political interference.
All criminal and civil allegations against Ssebitosi, Kasirye, and Major Wanyama remain subject to ongoing court proceedings.
