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It is a story of everyone being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a collection of individuals braving the night under curfew and covid restrictions, a moment of sober heads looking for the best way to unwind, an opportunity to party, and an unfortunate death clothed in mystery.
Such is the general description surrounding the death of Kampala Lawyer Tony Ngobi Kanalo, who succumbed to a stroke at Mengo Hospital on Sunday as a result of a bar brawl on Wednesday.
Kanalo even on his death bed, still had a vivid memory of what transpired on Wednesday night.
“It was around 1:00 am, the bouncer pushed me, I fell and hit my head down,” he told a detective amidst his struggle to speak.
The story starts on Wednesday night when Kanalo a renowned free spirit hit T. I bar and lounge in Mengo and like other revelers on rollcall that night, went about his business.
However, Kanalo is said to have gotten into a confrontation with one of the bouncers at the Bar who pushed him, forcing him to land awkwardly, head first.
“In a very unprofessional manner, the bouncer beat him up forcing him to land on his head uncontrollably on the ground,” a witness statement reads in part.
“He was left unattended to and unconscious outside the bar where a Good Samaritan found him approximately an hour later,” the statement continues.
Kanalo was taken to Lisa Clinic which is a stone’s throw away from the bar, but they could not maintain him as his condition turned to worse.
It is said that when the bar owner heard of Kanalo’s situation, he was transferred quickly to Mengo Hospital where it was diagnosed that some blood had spilled in his brain, causing him stroke.
During the time, he was visited by relatives and friends, including his children and he was in a buoyant mood despite difficulties speaking and opening his eyes.
On Friday evening, Kanalo was wheeled in for a surgical operation, but he did not wake up from it. He was consequently pronounced dead on Sunday evening.
It should be noted that President Museveni has consistently pronounced himself on the closure of bars and discos, citing that revelers are ungovernable in regard to COVID-19 standard operating procedures.
In his initial speech, President Museveni said such are a “danger to themselves”.
In his most recent speech, the President reiterated that bars and clubs would remain closed until the country achieves a vaccination target that is optimally acceptable.
The president also maintained that curfew hours would not be relaxed from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am. It is, therefore, a question to address as to why the specific bar where Kanalo met his fate was open.
Dying in bars
On February 1st, 2018, prominent singer and songwriter Moses Ssekibogo Nakintije alias Mowzey Radio died from injuries sustained during a bar brawl.
Radio was allegedly thrown over by a bouncer at a pub in Entebbe town.
In 2015, Johnny Ahimbisibwe was reportedly stabbed with a broken bottle during a bar brawl with city businessman Ivan Kamyuka at club Guvnor.
Ahimbisbwe succumbed to injuries while Kamyuka was later convicted for manslaughter.
In August 2021, one Approx Akampurira was stabbed to death during a bar fight at a bar in Kabale District. Akampurira was in a disagreement with two others after they allegedly attempted to snatch a woman from him.
Last week, Police in Kisoro arrested four people following the death of John Kwizera, a peasant in Kisoro who was hit on the head with a stone in a bar brawl. Kwizera died on spot.
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