A parish chief in Kagadi District who went missing nearly a week ago has been found dead, with his body secretly buried in his farmland. Edgar Kunihira, 27, the Parish Chief of Bugwaara in Kikucura Sub County, was found buried on his farm in Mambugu Village after relatives and police mounted a search following his disappearance.
Kunihira reportedly disappeared from his home on September 30 under unclear circumstances, prompting his relatives to report the matter to Kagadi Central Police Station after he failed to return home for several days. Police subsequently joined the search, which led to the discovery of his body. Peter Amara, Kunihira’s father, said his son was last seen on September 29 after visiting his farm, where he was implementing the Four-Acre Model agricultural programme.
Amara said Kunihira later made suspicious phone calls on Friday and Saturday to several people, asking them for financial assistance and claiming that he had been abducted and that his alleged captors were demanding a ransom for his release. However, attempts to reach him later failed after his phone was switched off. Amara said the family intensified the search on Monday and eventually discovered that Kunihira had been killed and buried on his farm.
Amara said his son had no known conflicts with anyone and was not involved in activities that could have exposed him to danger.
The killing has shocked residents and friends, who have appealed to police to intensify investigations and ensure that all those responsible are arrested. Eric Musana Acaali, the former Buyaga East Member of Parliament, condemned the killing and urged residents to desist from acts of violence, saying they undermine development in the area.
Albertine Region Police Spokesperson Julius Hakiza confirmed the killing and said police had arrested one suspect, identified as Matia Basiima, to assist with investigations. Hakiza said police are pursuing other suspects believed to have participated in the killing.
He said police exhumed Kunihira’s body from the farm where it had been buried and transferred it to Kagadi General Hospital, where it is awaiting postmortem and further forensic examination. The circumstances surrounding Kunihira’s alleged abduction, the ransom demands and his subsequent killing remain under investigation.
The incident comes barely two weeks after police in Hoima City arrested two people suspected of murdering a man and secretly burying his body following his disappearance. The suspects, Moreen Kusiima, 39, and Hebert Tumwine, 27, both residents of Mpaija-Kasingo Cell, Kasingo Ward in Hoima West Division, are accused of murdering 27-year-old Brian Baganyira, who lived in the same area.
Baganyira reportedly went missing from his home on July 18, 2026. His relatives later reported his disappearance to Hoima City Central Police Station after he failed to return home. Police investigations subsequently established that Baganyira had been killed and his body secretly buried in Mpaija-Kasingo Cell, leading to the arrest of the two suspects-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
