Residents on edge after two bodies found in septic tank

Residents are living in fear following the gruesome discovery of two bodies inside a septic tank behind a commercial building in Mbale town.

Police officers retrieved the bodies on Tuesday, following reports from the public who raised the alarm after a foul smell from the septic tank. Curious residents peeped inside and spotted the decomposing bodies, prompting an immediate response from the authorities.

The police said one of the bodies has been positively identified as that of a 43-year-old man who worked as a casual labourer at an entertainment joint in Mbale town.

The man, identified as Humphrey Balan’ga, popularly known as “Rasta” or “Metro,” had been reported missing on December 24, 2025.

The retrieval operation, which took more than five hours, was conducted with the help of residents and officers from the fire and emergency services. 

The bodies were later taken to Vihiga County Funeral Parlour, pending post-mortem examinations and identification of the second body.

Mbihi Location Chief Alex Omenda said investigations are ongoing to establish where the victims were killed and who may be responsible.

“We retrieved the bodies with the help of locals and the fire and emergency department. We are calling for calm as we investigate what happened and where the killings may have taken place,” said Omenda.

The family of Balan’ga has appealed to the police to conduct thorough investigations and bring to justice those responsible. His mother, Jane Kasigane, recounted the last moments she spent with her son.

“On Eve of Christmas Day, Humphrey left home after having breakfast with me and his brothers. He was going to work as usual. We never imagined that would be the last time we would see him alive,” said Kasigane.

Expressing her grief, she added: “We are deeply saddened that someone could do this to our son. We want answers and justice.”

The incident has sparked outrage among residents, who say it points to rising insecurity in the county since the beginning of the year. Some locals claim the situation worsened during the festive season.

Bilha Amwayi, a resident of Mbale, said cases of violent crime had increased in recent weeks. She cited a recent incident in Chavakali, where the body of a boda boda rider was found barely a week ago after he was attacked and his motorcycle stolen.

Residents are now calling for a reshuffle of police officers in the region, accusing them of failing to conduct regular patrols.

“We cannot continue having the same incidents over and over again. Police rarely patrol our neighbourhoods and instead focus on pursuing illicit alcohol dens,” said Mercy Chahasi, another resident.