The Uganda police has come out to give account for a shooting incident involving the Minister of Works and Transport, Maj Gen Katumba Wamala on Tuesday morning.
The assasination attempt that left his daughter, Brenda Wamala Nantongo and his driver, Haruna Kayondo dead, occured at around 9am at Kisaasi-Kisota road in Nakawa Division when unknown assailants pelted his vehicle registration number H4DF 2138 with bullets.
While the incident unfolded, his bodyguard who was also inside the car is reported to have severally shot in the air, something that prompted the assassins to flee the crime scene before confirming death of their presumed target.
General Katumba sustained injuries in both his arms and he is currently at Medipal Hospital in Kampala where he is receiving medication. The fourth occupant of the car, his bodyguard identified as Sgt Khalid Koboyoit survived with no injuries.
After the shooting incident, several government and top security personnel including the CDF Gen David Muhoozi and Maj Gen Paul Lokech visited the crime scene, Malcom Clinic where Gen Katumba was first rushed for first aid and Medipal Hospital.
Security teams and experts from the directorate of CID and Forensic would cordoned off the crime scene and according to Gen Lokech, they are thoroughly documenting it for traces of evidence.
Gen Lokech says the former UPDF and and Police Chief was trailed from his home in Najeera before the shooting was executed.
“The assailants trailed the motor vehicle as it left the home of Gen Katumba Wamala at Bulabira – Najeera, until when they reached at a remote located 4 Kms away along the Kisota –Kulambiro road. The assailants who were 4 in number were riding on two motorcycles with concealed number plates, pulled up next to Gen Katumba Wamala’s car and shot several bullets that instantly killed Nantogo Brenda and Haruna Kayondo,” say Gen Lokech.
He notes that at this stage security attributes the shooting to four armed assailants, who managed to escape from the scene. He however reveals that the exact motivation towards the targeted shooting is not yet established.
“We consider such attacks as a form of organized crime, with a potential of extremism, aimed at undermining the prevailing stability. We are however, confident that we shall identify the suspects and take very resolute enforcement action against them in accordance with the law,” he says.
Gen Lokech warned that all individuals and groups in such acts of terrorism shall be tracked down for further prosecution in the courts of law.
This is the first major shooting since 2019 and Lokech believes “it was a targeted and not random incident.”
Police has since put in place telephone contacts members of public with surveillance videos can use.
General Katumba is not the first high profile Ugandan official to be attacked by armed gunmen riding on motorcycles.
On March 17th, 2017, unknown gunmen shot dead the former Police Spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard, Kenneth Erau and Driver, Godfrey Mambewa.
The trio was gunned down, a few meters from Kaweesi’s home in Kulambiro in Kisaasi, a Kampala suburb.
Kaweesi’s assassination followed the murder of former State Prosecutor, Joan Kagezi in 2015, Major Muhammad Kiggundu in 2016 in a similar style.
In June 2018, unidentified assailants also gunned down Arua Municipality member of parliament, Ibrahim Abiriga in a similar manner.
