Coffins dumped outside Uganda Parliament in protest over murders

Activists in Uganda are protesting a spate of kidnappings and murders in the country by dumping coffins outside Parliament building.

More than 20 people, mostly women and children have been abducted for ransom in recent months in the country as rights groups say they have had enough.

Uganda has experienced a rise in kidnappings this year, increasing panic among residents who say security agencies are not doing enough to protect them.

Norman Tumuhimbise, founder of youth activist group The Alternative told CNN they have failed to investigate kidnap cases despite access to intelligence reports that could nail the criminals.

They carried coffins and placards and placards with inscriptions such as “Women Lives Matter” to the Naguru Police Headquarters in Kampala, Uganda capital city.

The coffins are a symbol of those who have died in the abductions, the activists said.

IGP Ochola: I wish to make a statement in respect to the kidnaps in the country. There’s growing anxiety in our society due to the cases. In the last 4 months, 42 cases have been reported, investigated. Of the 42 cases,

— Uganda Police Force (@PoliceUg) May 23, 2018

According to Tuhumbise, many victims are killed and sexually abused when their families are unable to pay the ransom money.

“Ugandans are now paying to save the lives of loved ones who have been kidnapped. The police have access to the database of all mobile phones users to trace the kidnappers who are demanding ransom.

“Why have they not traced these calls to apprehend these criminals?” Tumuhimbise asked.

Last month, police in Uganda recovered the body of a woman who was allegedly raped after her family failed to pay a $1,350 (Ksh.135,000) ransom for her release, local media reported.

In May, police said they had documented at least 42 cases of kidnapping for ransom, rituals and terrorism in the last four months.

However, police spokesman Emilian Kayima countered that security agencies have arrested suspects in all the cases.

Kayima acknowledged that eight pf the victims died and said it had increased surveillance and intelligence gathering to pursue suspects and prevent kidnapping.

He added that their investigations show that most of the kidnappings were staged by the victims themselves.

“People are now making it a habit to stage their own kidnap for money. These are the majority of the cases.

“But even then, we have charged the perpetrators to court because we must discourage it, or else it becomes a business,” Kayima told CNN.

An emergency center has also been established where families of victims can report cases following an increase in kidnap cases in Uganda, the police said.