For a while, many of us have had theories of how Arnold Mugisha the Hickory bar boss’ demise acted out. However, some of his brothers where at the scene and they narrated the tale that many of us didn’t know to one of their friends, Benezeri, a renowned musician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is the tale;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My name is Wanjala. My two slightly younger brothers, Higenyi and Duallo, get into a Toyota car and drive to a nearby gym. Duallo is still at university, and Higenyi has just completed. We are very close, because we are all we have. No one can love us unconditionally, except our parents of course. Speaking of our parents, mum and dad are very proud of us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have grown into three handsome young men. We have excelled through school and we have remained humble and simple. Our parents\u2019 hearts are full. How sure am I of this? Well, our mother keeps posting pictures of us on social media, telling us how she loves us. Our dad doesn\u2019t post as often but in the pictures (and in real life of course) everyone can see the love. We are a unit. Everyone that truly knows us keeps gushing about how \u201cdown to earth\u201d and nice we are.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, Duallo has been studying and he\u2019s back and we are all so happy to be in each other\u2019s company again. We are all we have. We complete our work out and we are in a great mood. We stop by at a nearby outlet to buy some water. Some of the details are hazy. I can\u2019t remember whether I stayed in the car or not. I just remember that as we got back into the car, the (now empty) trolley we were using to carry our items rolled and hit another Toyota car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I go to the car to establish whether it\u2019s been damaged, but I can\u2019t see a scratch or dent. So I head back to our car so that we go home.\u00a0
On my way to the car, a security guard approaches and informs me that I can\u2019t leave before the owner of the car comes to assess the situation of his\/ her car. I try to explain that as far as I can see there is no scratch or dent but the security guard isn\u2019t relenting. I offer to give him my numbers and (I can\u2019t remember this part clearly) probably some money. However, he doesn\u2019t accept. He insists that I must remain. I decide to head back to the car and my bros and I get in. We are getting ready to leave and then to my surprise the guard picks the key from the ignition.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We get out of the car and try to get back our key. A scuffle ensues, in which my youngest brother (b. 1999) gets bruised on the hand and his jaw gets swollen as well in the fracas. We succeed in getting the key back. We get back into the car. How can a simple thing like a trolley lead to all this? We can\u2019t wait to share the story with mum when we get back home.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The security guard doesn\u2019t concede. He stands behind the car and says to us that we aren\u2019t going anywhere. As we reverse the car, we hear a loud scream. The security guard is saying that we\u2019ve rolled over his foot. As we are trying to debate whether or not he is telling the truth, he starts shouting to his colleague to \u201cbring the gun\u201d. The colleague brings the gun and takes aim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our windows are closed; we were on our way out after all. Our youngest brother Duallo is seated at the back and so we ask him to put his head down. During the scuffle the security guard had said he can kill us, and he looked serious. After some time, Duallo decides that he is going to run and tell the manager. So he heads towards the entrance of the mall. He doesn\u2019t make it. Halfway, he hears a gunshot.\u00a0
He rushes to the car. I\u2019ve been shot in the jaw, from the back. My two brothers, all I have, who my parents love, who are each an important part of our unit as a family, who inevitably look up to me because I\u2019m the oldest; they decide to rush me to the hospital. They pray that I survive. I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My name is Arnold. My brothers are Andrew and Aaron.
As a Christian it\u2019s hard to wrap my head around things like these. Could this also have been part of the plan of our God that loves us? I can\u2019t answer that. One day, it shall all make sense. We shall all be united in the afterlife.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, there is something even more difficult to understand. When did we lose our humanity to the point where we can say things like \u201che deserved to die\u201d? I am in multiple Whatsapp groups and yesterday I was brought to tears. I also some screenshots of Facebook comments. What does this say about us? We can side with a killer and even applaud his actions when he shoots an unarmed civilian point blank? We are human beings first of all, we are Africans, and we are Ugandans. We are supposed to be one.\u00a0
Some might say, it doesn\u2019t matter now, does it? He is dead and gone. Let me tell you why it matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two reasons; One, the deceased doesn\u2019t feel anything right now. He isn\u2019t here to see the inhumanity and the cruel hearts of his fellow countrymen. However, his family and friends see it. It\u2019s extremely painful because they are already trying to go through this hard time, and people\u2019s comments are making it harder. I had the privilege of meeting him. I was introduced to him by his brother Andrew. Everyone that has interacted with him and his brothers will tell you how humble and simple and kind they are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, tribal stereotypes have caused people to draw wrong conclusions. I was particularly disappointed in a publication that led their front page story with this headline \u201cThe Price of Pride\u201d. I didn\u2019t read the story but that isn\u2019t the way to craft a headline.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second thing is; what precedent does this set? Is it excusable for any security guard to kill anybody they encounter because \u201cthey (security guards) go through a lot, they earn very little, they have many problems, so be careful when you encounter them\u201d? I am the oldest of three boys in my family. This incident hit me so hard because I realised it could have been me, and nobody would bother to get the other side of the story from my young brothers. It could be any of us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yesterday it was Arnold, tomorrow it could be you.\u00a0
Personally, I believe that the arrogant ones are the security guard that shot Arnold, and the Ugandans that are unashamedly in support. It\u2019s regrettable that the security guard was beaten up badly afterwards. I hope he recovers to full health, and gets prosecuted so that he can reflect on what he has done, in prison. That\u2019s sufficient punishment. In fact there is no punishment greater than that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s all on Musician Benezeri’s Facebook account, a close friend of the deceased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n