Parish Chief, Son of Former Kibaale Chairman, Murdered in Kagadi

What the report says

Police in Uganda’s Albertine region are investigating the killing of Edgar Kunihira, a 27-year-old parish chief in Bugwaara Parish, Kicucura Sub-county, Kagadi District, after his body was found buried on his farm. According to Nile Post, Kunihira was reported missing after family contact with him stopped following a series of phone calls in which he asked relatives and others for financial help.

The report says Kunihira, who lived in Mambugu Village in Kagadi Town Council, was the son of former Kibaale District chairman Peter Amara. His parents said they last saw him when he left for his farm, where he was working on a four-acre agricultural project. They later received calls from him seeking Shs600,000, after which his phone went off. He was found dead on Monday, days after the family had lost contact with him.

Albertine regional police spokesperson Julius Hakiza confirmed the killing and said a suspect, Matia Basiima, had been arrested to assist with investigations. Police have also launched a manhunt for other suspects. The family said the body showed signs of severe cuts, while relatives and local residents have condemned the attack and expressed concern about rising crime in the area.

The case matters because it involves a local government official and has renewed attention on security in Kagadi District. Investigators are still trying to establish the motive and the full sequence of events.