KAMPALA – Another shock has hit Ugandans on Tuesday morning when the assassins attempted to take life of Transport Minister, Gen Katumba Wamala.
Just like before, four attackers on motorcycles opened fire at a vehicle carrying Gen Katumba in the Kampala suburb of Kiasasi, killing his daughter, Brenda Nantongo who was with him and driver Haruna Kayondo.
Speaking on the matter, President Yoweri Museveni has said that they shall defeat the criminals as “we did in the past.”
“The pigs who do not value life shot at Gen. Katumba killed his daughter and driver and injured him. Condolences on the loss of the two Ugandans. I talked to Gen. Katumba twice on the phone. He is being well-managed,” said Museveni on social media.
Museveni said that they already have clues to those killers.
However, this kind of motorcycle ride-by assassination style is not new to Ugandans as it has been used in other high profile assassinations in and around Kampala.
Questions about the assailants of previous cases are still being asked.
Assistant DPP Joan Kagezi (2015)
Kagezi was killed on March 30, 2015 in Najjeera suburb in Kira Town Council, Wakiso, as she returned home. Ms Kagezi had just bought fruits from a roadside food stall.
A number of arrests were made by police but upon scrutiny, all of them were released as there was nothing to link them to the murder.
Major Suleiman Kiggundu (2016)
Maj Mohammad Kiggundu, a puritanical Muslim leader; a prominent Sheikh and a reformed rebel leader, was on 25th November 2016 morning gunned down alongside his body guard in Masanafu, a Kampala suburb.
Maj Kiggundu and his bodyguard, Sgt Stephen Mukasa, were shot dead by unknown masked attackers, who, according to the various eyewitnesses, were riding on a boda-boda.
The police authorities were, however, quick to blame the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist organisation they declared neutralised following the arrest of its pitiless leader, Jamil Mukulu, in April.
Earlier in his life, he joined the Uganda National Freedom Army/ Movement (UNFA/M), a cloistered rebel group linked to Jamil Mukulu’s Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). He was the chairman of the group they formed in 1993.
However, in July 2000, Maj Kiggundu and others applied for amnesty and later returned to Kampala from the neighbouring Kenya.
Andrew Felix Kaweesi (2017)
Andrew Felix Kaweesi was assassinated on March 17, 2017 near his home Kulambiro, a Kampala suburb. He was gunned down together with his assistants. Godfrey Wambewo and Kenneth Erau. It is said that he took 27 bullets, his bodyguard took 33, while his driver was shot 11 times.
From the pockmarks on the car, investigators believe t he assailants did not use the commonly available AK47 assault rifles. They are believed to have used the specialised M4 guns.
Ibrahim Abiriga (2018)
The then Arua Municipality Member of Parliament (MP), Ibrahim Abiriga was shot dead near his home in Matugga, Wakiso District.
He was reportedly shot by two people who were riding on a boda boda. He was traveling in his famous yellow Volkswagen car with his bodyguard who was also shot dead.
Mohammad Kirumira (2018)
The outspoken Kirumita was assassinated on 8th September 2018.
The former Buyende District Police Commander Muhammad Kirumira was shot dead near his home in Bulenga, Wakiso District. Kirumira was moving with a friend, Resty Nalinnya Mbabazi who also lost her life on that day.
Earlier that year, Kirumira came to prominence when he resigned as a district police commander amid a feud with higher-ups whom he accused of corruption and other crimes. Kiruma was then arrested and presented before the Police tribunal which found him guilty of using excessive authority.
One suspect Abubakar Kalungi, aged 47 at the time, a carpenter and resident of Mirimu Zone in Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District was arrested and charged with the murder. Later, Mr Hamza Mwebe, a resident of Kigobe Zone in Namungoona, Rubaga Division was also arrested and charged in court with the same murder.