By Ebi Kesiena
Seventeen human skulls were discovered buried in metal boxes at a suspected shrine in central Uganda, police reported on Tuesday.
Children foraging for firewood near Kabanga village, close to Mpigi town, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) west of the capital Kampala, stumbled upon the shocking site, according to local media.
Residents informed the police about the metallic boxes containing what appeared to be human skulls.
“We swiftly moved in and dug up the place, and so far we have recovered 17 human skulls.
“We are conducting more excavations to ensure there are no more skulls other than what we have so far recovered.” regional police spokesman Majid Karim said.
Karim added that the remains are being examined to determine their age and sex, as well as the time of burial. He urged the public to remain calm, acknowledging that some residents were left in shock by the discovery.
Officers will investigate the circumstances surrounding the recovery of these skulls and identify those responsible, Karim said. It remains unclear how the skulls ended up at the site.
Local media reported that the site had previously been used for worship. The suspected owner of the site is currently on the run, linked to a separate case involving the murder of a prominent traditional Baganda leader and entrepreneur, Daniel Bbosa. Bbosa was reportedly killed by hired gunmen in Kampala as he returned home from work in February this year.
Mpigi district, though densely populated, remains semi-rural, with agriculture dominating local trade. Coffee and bananas are major cash crops and staple foods in the area, which also features a major road linking the villages to Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
