Uganda cranes celebrations turn sad as man dies at a drinking joint in Mbarara

A man has lost his life in a brawl which broke out during the Uganda Cranes victory celebrations in a drinking joint in Mbarara municipality. The deceased has been identified as Alex Turyatunga, a resident of Bwenkoma cell in Nyakayojjo division in Mbarara municipality.

It is alleged that after the Uganda Cranes 1:0 victory over Comoros in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Sunday, which saw the team qualify for the finals in Gabon next year, Turyatunga decided to join his colleagues at a local drinking joint to celebrate.

The group members reportedly started buying rounds of beer in the turn as they drunk until late in the night.However, a disagreement emerged later, on who should or shouldn't buy drinks. The disagreement degenerated into a fist fight in which, Turyatunga was punched by one of the revelers identified as Jonan Safari and fell unconscious.

Turyatunga breathed his last at around at 6am. By this time, Safari had already fled the drinking joint. Taban Chiriga, the Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department, Mbarara Central Police Station, says they are investigating the incident.

He says they will track down all the suspects, but declined to reveal their identities, saying it will jeopardize their investigations. James Tukamushaba, a resident of the area where the drinking joint is located, says he heard the group shouting and singing in celebration of Uganda Cranes victory before the confusion started.

According to Tukamushaba, the deceased has been a good friend to the suspects, adding that they must had acted under the influence of alcohol.

-URN