Gomba, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | Paddy Sserunjogi, popularly known as Sobi, a former mastermind of armed robberies in Kampala who later became a security informer, has been killed in a land dispute in Gomba district, central Uganda.
The incident unfolded around midday on Monday 18, December 2023 in Kibaale LC 1, Kigumba Parish, Maddu Sub-County, where a tumultuous clash erupted. Over 50 individuals armed with sticks, pangas, and spears launched an attack on another group asserting ownership of the same land in the area.
Tragically, Sobi lost his life during the violent confrontation, political saidin a statement.
The contested land had been purchased by a Rwandan individual named Kalisa for a sum of Shs 100 million. In 2007, Kalisa made a deposit of 20 million on the property, which became a focal point in the dispute leading to the fatal clash.
Another group of people who claimed to be the children and grandchildren of the now late Paul Kibi led by Deborah Nagadiya and Barton Kiwewa emerged with land titles claiming the same land belongs to them,” said police.
The dispute escalated to the courts, but before a resolution could be reached, one of the conflicting factions enlisted additional individuals from Kisenyi, Kampala, to occupy the disputed property.
According to the police, Kalisa’s group, on the previous night, recruited individuals from different areas. They convened at the residences of Kalisa’s sons – Rwabazingu, Fred Nyangabo, and Rwakana, where plans to confront the rival group (associated with Sobi) were formulated.
In the course of the altercation, Kalisa’s group reportedly caused extensive damage to all property situated on the contested land.
“The same group is alleged to have killed more people though only one body has been recovered with cut wounds on the leg and neck,” the police report added.
Despite efforts to address legislative concerns related to land, Uganda’s land sector confronts persistent challenges, including insecure tenure, conflicting land rights, and significant disparities in land access and ownership.
Land disputes in Uganda frequently emerge within family settings, especially among relatives and siblings, due to competing interests in the same land.
Beyond involvement in land conflicts, Sobi had previously admitted to participating in armed robberies in central Uganda.
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In response to the recent violent incident, the police have heightened their presence in Maddu Sub-county to manage the tensions resulting from the recent conflict.
Sobi’s criminal activities in Kampala
In 2017, Sobi gained notoriety as the confessed leader of Kifeesi, a criminal gang notorious for terrorizing Kampala. The group, under his leadership, was involved in various criminal activities, including petty theft, armed robberies, and, tragically, instances of murder. They targeted citizens and carried out robberies on multiple forex bureaus in the city.
Sobi’s recurrent arrests and releases
Despite multiple arrests and jail terms, Sobi and his gang members repeatedly secured release on bail, resuming their criminal operations upon regaining freedom. Reports suggested his association with the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) during the tenure of Col Kaka Bagyenda.
Sobi’s involvement in land grabbing
Sobi extended his criminal activities to land grabbing, allegedly serving the interests of influential individuals. In 2021, he was implicated in forcefully fencing off four acres of a swamp in Nakuwadde village near Bulenga, Wakiso district.
In 2022, posing as a soldier from the Special Forces Command (SFC), he reportedly seized a five-acre piece of land from a 94-year-old man in Mukono district. Sobi claimed to have political ambitions during a recent high-profile interview on .
