Gunmen trailed Gen Katumba for 4 km

Kampala – The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Paul Lokech, has revealed that former minister for works and immediate past Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, was trailed by gun-wielding men for four kilometres.

Gen Katumba, who was moving with his daughter Brenda Nantongo in a military vehicle H4DF 2138 was showered with bullets on Tuesday close to 9 am at Kisota road, Kawempe Division, in Kampala City.

Nantongo and driver Haruna Kayondo died on the spot while Gen Katumba survived with bullet wounds in the arm. Gen Lokech basing on police preliminary findings said the incident happened between 8:47 am and 8:58 am.

Gen Lokech in a statement issued said the assailants trailed Gen Katumba’s vehicle as soon as it left the home at Bulabira –Najeera until when they reached a remote location about 4 kilometres along the Kisota-Kulambiro road.

“This is the first major shooting since 2019 and we strongly believe it was a targeted and not random incident. 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 Nantongo Brenda and Haruna Kayondo,” Lokech said.

Police through Gen Lokech has said a team of experts from the Directorate of CID and forensic are thoroughly documenting the scene for traces of evidence. Security attributes the shooting to four armed assailants who managed to escape.

Gen Katumba was rushed to Malcom Hospital before he was transferred to Medipal hospital along John Babeiha road. President Yoweri Museveni as usual described Gen Katumba’s attackers as pigs.

Museveni said he had talked to Gen Katumba and was well being managed. Museveni also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that Gen Katumba’s bodyguard Sgt Khalid Kaboyoit shot in the air instead of killing at least one of the assailants.

“The pigs who do not value life shot at Gen. Katumba killed his daughter and driver and injured him. The bodyguard should not have shot in the air. He should have shot to kill. We could be having a dead terrorist instead of scaring away the terrorists. His shooting saved Gen. Katumba by scaring the criminals away,” Museveni said.

Additional reporting by URN