By Steven Enatu
SOmber mood has engulfed Serere District as the community grapples with an alarming surge in domestic violence, resulting in the loss of innocent lives. The latest victim, Christine Nakiru, also known as Akello Christine, was brutally strangled and set ablaze in her home in Aima Village, Kakuse Parish, Olio Sub County.
The body of Christine Nakiru was retrieved from Serere Mortuary on Wednesday evening after a blood compensation payment of 7 million UGX and 3.3 million UGX for burial expenses to her husband. She was buried in Okodo Village on January 30, 2025, in Katete Sub County at the home of her first husband, Emmanuel Otukei.
Nakiru was allegedly strangled before being burned inside a house on Sunday, January 26, 2025, in Aima Village, Kakusi Parish, Olio Sub County. According to Simon Okello, the Local Council II chairperson of Kakuse Parish, the grim discovery was made around 7 AM when the prime suspect, George William Olaku, informed a neighbor that his wife had perished in a house fire. Olaku, who claimed to have survived the inferno, has since gone into hiding, and no arrests have been made.
Nakiru, a mother of three beautiful girls, had left her previous marriage with Emmanuel Otukei, also known as Ogundi, and moved to a lakeside community where she reportedly met Olaku. She lived with him for nine months in Aima Village before her tragic death. Her 12-year-old daughter, who initially stayed with them, later fled due to Olaku’s violent tendencies and repeated threats against her and her mother.
Helen Amongin Abeku, Otukei’s 69-year-old mother, recalled that while Nakiru and Otukei drank heavily, they never engaged in physical fights. However, Olaku was known to drink, smoke opium, and exhibit violent behavior, which escalated over time.
Deus Maniragaba, Serere District’s Crime Intelligence Officer, confirmed that the official police report contradicts Olaku’s claim of an accidental fire, revealing that Nakiru was strangled before the fire was set. Despite the evidence, no arrests have been made, fueling public outrage.
Local leaders blame rising domestic violence and femicide on weak law enforcement. Okello criticized the justice system, citing the case of Betty Anyango, who was strangled in July 2024, only for the suspect to be released within a week. “The lack of accountability emboldens perpetrators. We would want to see these suspects apprehended and sentenced, but unfortunately, they don’t take long in police,” Okello stated, adding that the recent killings have instilled fear among women and girls in Serere.
Nakiru’s murder is the latest in a series of brutal killings of women in Serere. Over the past months, four women, including 18-year-old Scovia Apio, 16-year-old Joyce Mary Ilolu, and 40-year-old Betty Inangolet, have been killed by their estranged partners. Between March and September 2024, at least ten women were murdered in Serere, including 75-year-old Meldo Atigo, who was killed by her nephew over a property dispute.
Health reports from Serere HCIV indicate that between January and May 2024, 77 women were sexually assaulted, and 137 faced physical violence, including domestic abuse and gang rape.
Women’s rights activist Deborah Akello, founder of Women and Girls Right Activist, condemned the culture of informal settlements and compensation that allows perpetrators to escape justice. “Once the victim’s family receives compensation, cases are often abandoned, and suspects go free. Authorities must ensure proper investigations, arrests, and prosecutions to deter further violence,” Akello emphasized.
She said that usually, when the family of the suspect pays for burial expenses and compensation to the victim’s family, this marks the end of such cases. “From our research and observations, this is always the end of the case of pursuit for justice for the victim. They usually don’t hear any other thing about arrest and prosecution,” she said.
She appealed to the relevant authorities to ensure suspects are followed, arrested, investigated, and prosecuted. To her, this will act as a deterrent to the rest who would want to be involved in such behaviors that dehumanize women in society.
Local leaders and activists are urging political and religious leaders to address the crisis through community sensitization, stricter law enforcement, and economic empowerment programs for women.
Robert Adyama, the Resident District Commissioner, acknowledged Serere’s growing reputation as a hotspot for domestic violence, linking it to weak social trust and rural-urban conflicts. However, he noted that fear of retaliation often prevents witnesses from speaking out.
Community elders attribute the rise in domestic violence to increasing alcohol