By Enatu Steven.
Serere District is grappling with yet another horrific case of gender-based violence, underscoring the urgent need for systemic intervention. On the night of February 20, 2025, 16-year-old Abiro Rebecca Viola, a Senior Three student at Serere Township Secondary School, was found murdered in her grass-thatched hut. Her body bore unmistakable signs of sexual assault and strangulation an appalling crime that has sent shockwaves through the community.
According to East Kyoga Regional Police Commander Damali Nachuah, unknown assailants broke into Abiro’s hut, strangled her using a mosquito net, and sexually assaulted her before fleeing. Despite a swift response from the crime scene investigation team including homicide detectives and a police canine unit—the trail went cold near the Kagwara-Serere road.
This is not an isolated tragedy. Abiro’s murder marks the 12th recorded femicide in Serere District under similar circumstances. Just last month, Christine Nakiru was brutally killed and set on fire inside her home, allegedly by George William Olaku. No arrests were made. In a stark reflection of the community’s growing frustration, Olaku was later found dead in a cassava garden an apparent act of vigilante justice.
Deborah Akello, the Executive Director of Women and Girls Rights Advocacy Uganda (WAGRAU), is among those demanding immediate and decisive action. Akello, an attorney and passionate human rights defender, understands firsthand the devastating impact of gender-based violence. Raised in Serere by her mother and stepfather, she witnessed domestic abuse in her own home an experience that fuels her relentless fight for justice today.
“The rise in these killings is a clear indication that the justice system is failing women and girls. Communities should not have to resort to mob justice because they have lost faith in law enforcement,” Akello asserts. “We need urgent intervention stronger legal enforcement, immediate investigations, and swift prosecutions. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Femicide in Uganda is not just a series of tragic events it is a systemic crisis rooted in impunity, gender inequality, and weak enforcement of the law. Uganda’s Penal Code criminalizes murder and rape, while the Domestic Violence Act (2010) and the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2010) aim to protect women. Yet, without rigorous policing, swift prosecution, and community sensitization, these laws remain ineffective.
She is now calling for immediate and thorough investigations. “Law enforcement must prioritize forensic evidence collection, pursue suspects aggressively, and ensure convictions. We demand justice for the victims, and we call upon everyone to act now and create a society where your mother, sister, wife, daughter, niece, and friend can live free from fear and violence,” she said.
Akello also called upon journalists to continue with responsible reporting, avoid sensationalism, and hold authorities accountable for inaction on gender-based violence cases. “We refuse to normalize these killings,” Akello emphasizes. “Serere’s women and girls deserve safety, justice, and a future free from fear. It is time for the government, law enforcement, and community leaders to stand up and take action before more lives are lost.” She stressed.
The fight against femicide requires collective action from policymakers to the community level. Every life lost to gender-based violence is a stark reminder that justice must not be delayed. “As an organization, we remain steadfast in our commitment to eradicating violence against women and girls and demand urgent measures to protect, prosecute, and prevent.” She remarked.
