By Edward Byamukama
A tragic incident has been reported in Kahyooro B, Karuswiga Ward, Muhorro Town Council, Kagadi District, where a chimpanzee attacked and killed a five-month-old baby boy.
The attack occurred at around 8:00 a.m., when the baby’s mother, Janet Kobusinge, and grandmother, Mary Nsungwa, were weeding beans near their home.
Nsungwa says the chimpanzee suddenly emerged from the nearby Katyoboona Forest Reserve, grabbed the infant, and fled into the forest.
The family raised an alarm that attracted several residents who immediately began searching for the animal.
Unfortunately, the baby’s lifeless body was later discovered deep inside the Katyoboona Forest Reserve.
The father of the deceased, Rodgers Ahaisibwe, blamed the government for failing to properly gazette and manage chimpanzee habitats, saying this has put local communities in danger.
He appealed to the government to intervene, support the family with burial expenses, and provide compensation.
The LC3 Chairperson of Muhorro Town Council, Godfrey Nangonza, who joined residents in the search, expressed deep concern over the increasing chimpanzee attacks and the slow government response to compensate affected residents.
Still mourning and in tears, residents said such incidents have happened repeatedly, yet no permanent solution has been provided.
They warned that if the government fails to act, they might stage protests or kill the chimpanzees in self-defense, claiming that Katyoboona Forest Reserve sits on private land.
By press time, police had arrived at the scene, conducted a postmortem examination, and handed the baby’s body to the family for burial as investigations continue.
