Matthew Kanyamunyu, who was convicted for the manslaughter of child rights activist Kenneth Akena, has been released from prison after serving three years of his five-year sentence. Kanyamunyu was sentenced in November 2020 for shooting Akena in 2016.
Justice Stephen Mubiru, who sentenced Kanyamunyu, considered his behavior while in prison and reduced his sentence. Despite being a first-time offender and having taken the victim to the hospital after the shooting, Kanyamunyu was convicted of manslaughter, not murder, sparing him a life sentence.
The incident occurred in 2016 when Akena accidentally knocked Kanyamunyu's car in a parking lot in Lugogo, Kampala. Akena reportedly went to apologize, but Kanyamunyu instead lowered the window of his car and shot him in the stomach at close range. Akena later died at Norvic Hospital, and a postmortem revealed two bullets in his body.
During the trial, Kanyamunyu's Burundian girlfriend, Cynthia Munwangari, and his sibling, Joseph Kanyamunyu, were also implicated. Joseph was accused of hiding the gun used in the shooting. Both Kanyamunyu and Munwangari maintained their innocence, claiming they were only trying to help Akena by taking him to the hospital.
The case drew significant attention and raised questions about justice and accountability. While Kanyamunyu's release marks the completion of his sentence, it also rekindles discussions about the complexities of criminal cases and the need for thorough investigations and fair trials.
WHO WAS THE DECEASED – KENNETH AKENA
Born on November 29, 1983, in Gandyang town, Kitgum district, Akena was the fifth of seven children of Eng Francis Xavier Omona and Suzan Omona Tiperu. His educational journey included Uganda Martyrs Centenary School Kitgum, St Mary’s Seminary – Lacor Gulu, and St Joseph’s College – Layibi, Gulu, where he completed his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) in 2004. He pursued higher education at Gulu University, earning a bachelor’s degree in public administration in 2008. Akena furthered his studies with a certificate in administrative law from the Law Development Centre (LDC) in 2012, a professional certificate in child protection from Makerere University in 2013, and a postgraduate diploma in project planning from Uganda Management Institute (UMI) in 2014. His career began as a project assistant officer for Canadian Physicians for Aid Relief in Gulu from 2008 to 2009, followed by a role as a community development officer in Pader district local government from 2009 to 2011. Akena then joined Avis Foundation in Gulu, where he served as a senior program officer and was later promoted to senior project officer in 2013. He continued to advance his career, working with the Danish Refugee Council in Adjumani as a protection officer in 2014. At the time of his untimely death, Akena was employed by ACODEV as a child protection specialist under a USAID project, showcasing his dedication to improving the lives of children and communities in Uganda
