Edith Byanyima, an aunt to incarcerated murder suspects Mathew and Joseph Kanyamunyu, has reportedly refused to respond to police summons related to charges of sectarianism against the Acholi people of Northern Uganda, media reports indicate.
Ms Byanyima, a younger sister to rights activist and Oxfam Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, had been summoned to police following comments she reportedly made in the media about the Acholi, while speaking to the media about a case in which her nephew Mathew Kanyamunyu is the prime suspect in the killing of child activist Kenneth Watmon Akena, in November last year.
Mathew, his brother Joseph and lady friend Cythia Munwangari are currently on remand at Luzira Prisons, but the circumstances surrounding Akena’s death and the reactions of relatives and friends on both sides have boiled over, giving rise to unsubstantiated allegations with negative tribal tinges, even drawing in politicians from the Acholi region led by MPs Samuel Odonga Otto and Beatrice Anywar.
And last week Akena’s relatives, through lawyer firm Ojok and Company Advcocates, wrote to the Inspector General of Police General Kale Kayihura, demanding that Edith Byanyima be investigated over the ‘sectarian’ utterances that the Acholi killed the Kanyamunyus father.
‘We act for and on behalf of the family of the late Akena with instructions to address you as here below. Our attention has been drawn to social media publication (of ChimpReports) attributed to Edith Byanyima, which you may be aware of, entitled ‘Byanyima; Acholi soldiers killed Kanyamunyu’s father; Acholi Policemen haunting Bahima’, the letter January 16 by the law firm and also copied to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) reads in part.
The letter adds: “Our instructions are to request your office to direct the appropriate office to investigate such sectarian utterance and the perpetrators be dealt with as your office or the DPP may deem in.
Consequently, the Acting Deputy Director Special Investigations Division Henry Mugumya, summoned Edith Byanyima, stating that police would investigate ‘a case of promoting sectarianism and incitement to violence’.
“Pursuant to Section 27A of the Police Act, you are required to report to the Special Investigations Division Kireka on Monday, January 23, 2017 at 1000hrs, to assist in providing valuable information in respect to the matter being investigated. You will report to the AG. Deputy Director for further guidance,” read part of the letter dated January 19.
However, it has emerged that Edith Byanyima has snubbed the summons.