Previous high profile motorcycle ride-by assassinations
Tuesday June 01 2021
On Tuesday morning, news of the attempted assassination of Gen Katumba Wamala spread across social media like wildfire. According to witness, unknown individuals using two motorcycles are responsible for the act.
This 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)
Former Assistant DPP Joan Kagezi was assassinated in Najjeera suburb in Kira Town Council, Wakiso, as she returned home (Daily Monitor Photo)
March 30, 2015 will always be a dark day for the staff of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). On that day, the then Assistant DPP Joan Kagezi was assassinated 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.
At the time of the murder, Kagezi prosecuting a high profile case of terror that involved suspects in the 2010 Kampala twin bombing. The majority of the suspects in the terror case have been convicted, but no suspect in Kagezi’s murder has been held to account for her death.
No suspect has been arrested and charged in court and the investigations appear to have hit a dead end.
- Major Suleiman Kiggundu (2016)
Kiggundu's body lies in the middle of the road (Courtesy Photo)
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)
The late AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi
Andrew Felix Kaweesi was assassinated on March 17th 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.
Theories have been advanced on how this assassination could have happened. The overriding theory has been that the attackers were riding on a motorbike or two and that they attacked the car from the front and rear, killing the driver and his passengers, the bodyguard and Kaweesi who were occupying the seat behind.
President Museveni ordered for the installation of CCTV cameras after this assassination.
- Ibrahim Abiriga (2018)
Former Arua Municipality MP, the late Ibrahim Abiriga
Former Arua Municipality Member of Parliament (MP), Ibrahim Abiriga was shot dead near his home in Matugga, Wakiso District. The legislator who was among the initiators of the move to amend the constitution to remove article 102b so as to have the 75 year upper age limit for the president removed, died at around 6:30 pm on 8th June 2018.
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)
Former DPC, the late Muhammad Kirumira
On 8th September 2018, 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.
IN SUMMARY
On Tuesday morning, news of the attempted assassination of Gen Katumba Wamala spread across social media like wildfire. According to witness, unknown individuals using two motorcycles are responsible for the act.
This 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)
Former Assistant DPP Joan Kagezi was assassinated in Najjeera suburb in Kira Town Council, Wakiso, as she returned home (Daily Monitor Photo)
March 30, 2015 will always be a dark day for the staff of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). On that day, the then Assistant DPP Joan Kagezi was assassinated 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.
At the time of the murder, Kagezi prosecuting a high profile case of terror that involved suspects in the 2010 Kampala twin bombing. The majority of the suspects in the terror case have been convicted, but no suspect in Kagezi’s murder has been held to account for her death.
No suspect has been arrested and charged in court and the investigations appear to have hit a dead end.
- Major Suleiman Kiggundu (2016)
Kiggundu's body lies in the middle of the road (Courtesy Photo)
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)
The late AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi
Andrew Felix Kaweesi was assassinated on March 17th 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.
Theories have been advanced on how this assassination could have happened. The overriding theory has been that the attackers were riding on a motorbike or two and that they attacked the car from the front and rear, killing the driver and his passengers, the bodyguard and Kaweesi who were occupying the seat behind.
President Museveni ordered for the installation of CCTV cameras after this assassination.
- Ibrahim Abiriga (2018)
Former Arua Municipality MP, the late Ibrahim Abiriga
Former Arua Municipality Member of Parliament (MP), Ibrahim Abiriga was shot dead near his home in Matugga, Wakiso District. The legislator who was among the initiators of the move to amend the constitution to remove article 102b so as to have the 75 year upper age limit for the president removed, died at around 6:30 pm on 8th June 2018.
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)
Former DPC, the late Muhammad Kirumira
On 8th September 2018, 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.