By Andrew Irumba
MUHAMMAD KIRUMIRA: 1983 – 2018
MPIGI – Thousands of mourners thronged Mpambire village in Mpigi District on Sunday to burry slain former Buyende District Police Commander (DPC) ASP Muhammad Kirumira who was gunned down on Saturday evening around 9:00pm at Bulenga village, a Kampala surbab. Muhammad was laid to rest arounf 5:40pm amid #people power chants.
His female friend, Resty Nalinya with whom he was in the car at the time of the assassination, will also be buried on Monday in Mpenja, Gomba district.
Police told a press conference on Sunday that they had met the families of the deceased and the respective burial arrangements worked out.
Police spokesperson Emilian Kayima told reporters that the assassination was regrettable and that security agencies “are putting their heads together in the hunt for these criminals, and their resolve to get to the bottom of this is total”.
But hours later, he faced a cold reception at the burial place in Mpigi, where he was blocked by mourners from addressing them. The heckling did not stop at him.
Internal affairs minister Gen. Jeje Odongo, representing Government, faced similar harsh treatment as soon as he arrived. Amid the unpleasant aura, it did not take long for Kayima and the minister to prematurely leave the place amid heavy security deployment.
Mourners pelted stones at the two Gov’t officials amid protests from the crowds that demanded them to leave. They soon left amid tight security.
Earlier, speaker after speaker at the home of Kirumira’s father, Abubakar Kawooya, described the fallen Police officer in glowing terms — as an honest man who fought for equality, a hardworking policeman and a caring family man.
Politicians and Muslim leaders attended the burial, with the likes of Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, former FDC leader Rtd.Col.Dr. Kizza Besigye and Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona addressing mourners.
Kirumira’s father Mr.Kawooya, while speaking during prayers for his son at Old Kampala Mosque earlier, said the entire nation is at loss, and thanked all those that supported and loved them.
‘Action programme’
Kirumira’s body had been brought to the mosque for a special prayer, before it would be taken to Mpigi. Here, second deputy mufti Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa said that Uganda loses respect when citizens are killed in a “humiliating” manner that Kirumira’s life was brought to an end.
“We need to love one another, we need to forgive each other. We are not the first to live in this counry and will not be the last ones.
“In this kind of death, we have lost not only our brother Muhammad Kirumira, but we have a very long list of our brothers,” said Waiswa.
“Silence does not mean justice, we require justice, and if they do not provde it in this world, we know that the Almighty God will not let us down.”
Waiswa told the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ramadhan Mubajje, that the Muslim community needs an “action programme” since “Muslims have been attacked from all angles” and that there are still death threats going around in the form of flyers.
According to him, the programme would sensitise other people that “we are all equal citizens of this country”.
“I call on all of you to remain peace-loving citizens, respect rule of order and be tolerant to the mistakes of others,” Waiswa said. 
