Skip to main content.
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
A Random Image


Related

More news articles & news archive on MRTCG


Translate



Advertisements *

What is a cult: Cult Definition
Simple steps to financial health and a good credit score


Elsewhere

What you should know about Scientology


MRTCG:

Kibwetere Site to House Tourist Hotel

The Monitor, Uganda
Mar. 23, 2004
Mwanguhya Charles Mpagi & Patson Baraire
allafrica.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 6555 • Posted: Tuesday March 23, 2004  

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark
Click here... More articles on this topic: MRTCG

Four years since about 1,000 people were murdered in a horrific religious cult mass killing in Uganda’s south-western district of Kanungu police say they are still hunting the lead killers.

Police say they have finished forensic studies into the ash remains of the people killed by the cult led by Joseph Kibwetere.

Kibwetere’s Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God killed about 1,000 people in one of the world’s worst mass suicides.

The Minister of Internal Affairs Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has told The Monitor that police investigations have narrowed down to the actual perpetrators who are still on the run.

On April 6, 2000 Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court issued arrest warrants for six cult leaders.

They included Kibwetere, Ms Credonia Mwerinde and Rev. Fr. Dominic Kataribabo, Rev. Fr. John Mary Kasapurari, Fr John Kamagara and Ms Ursla Komuhangi.

They were jointly charged with the murder of Mr Joseph Nyamirinda, Mr Stephen Katege, Imelda Bwongezire, Ms Beatrice Kemanzi, Ms Rose Mary Kengonzi, Mr Christopher Tugonza, Ms Florence Tumuhimbise, Police Constable No 22679 Bikorwomuhangi and others.

On the fateful day, the cult leaders herded their followers into a building, which they were using as a church, bolted the doors promising that they were leaving for heaven.

They set the building on fire and about 500 worshippers died in the raging fire.

The Uganda police say they are working with International Police (Interpol) to pursue leading clues, some of which suggest that the cult leaders were sighted in the Kenyan capital Nairobi last year.

The offered Shs 50 million to anyone with information leading to the arrest of the five leaders of the doomsday cult.

Rugunda said police have credible information indicating that the cult leaders could still be still alive.

The Director of Police Criminal Investigations Department Ms Elizabeth Kutesa told The Monitor last week that they sent detectives to Nairobi last year after receiving information that some of the cult leaders were there.

Modern hotel for Kanungu murder site

The Mayor of Kanungu Town Council Mr Godfrey Karabenda says his council plans to build a multi-million hotel at the scene of the cult massacre.

He says the site is to be preserved as a tourist attraction.

Before they perished in the fire the cult leaders handed over to government a land title for 27 acres. They also “donated” another two acres of ekibanja (land without a title deed).

Kanungu was still part of Rukungiri district at the time. Today Kanungu is an independent district and Nyabugoto hill on which the killings took place is part of the town council.

“We want to build a big modern hotel on the site so that people who come to visit or study about the tragedy can stay there and relax. We are just waiting for the central government to hand over the place to us,” Karabenda says.

Local authorities here have approved the hotel plan and named the road leading to the former cult headquarters as “Infernal Road.”

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark


What You Can Do From Here

Read More Articles On These Topics
more cult news articlemore religion news Categories: MRTCG
more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about
Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Follow Religion News Blog on Twitter


Read Another Article
Find Related Information
cult research search enginecountercult information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults
Find Related Books


Most Popular Today


Share This Article

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:





Counter Cult Search

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.


Apologetics Search

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.

Home
Latest Headlines
RSS news feed [?]
Headlines by Email
News Trackers
Free content for your site
About RNB
Privacy Policy
Contact RNB
Link to RNB
Advertise on RNB
Apologetics Index
Cult FAQ
Apologetics Search Engine
CounterCult Search Engine