The Uganda People’s Defense Forces is puzzled over the whereabouts of the body guards of General Katumba Wamala, the former Works and Transport Minister who was shot at this morning.
Unidentified gunmen riding on motorcycles intercepted Katumba Wamala’s vehicle registration number H4DF 2138 along Kisota road in Kisaasi and sprayed it with bullets killing his daughter, Brenda Wamala Nantongo 27, and driver, Haruna Kayondo on the spot.
Katumba Wamala sustained two gunshot wounds in his shoulders and was rushed to Malcolm Hospital in Kisaasi for treatment before being transferred to Medipal hospital where he is at the moment.
However, the military is now puzzled that at least three of the bodyguards assigned to Gen Wamala were not with him.
The Spokesperson for UPDF/ Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Brigadier Flavia Byekwaso notes that as a former Chief of Defense Forces and by virtue of his rank, General Katumba Wamala must have not less than four body guards at any time.
But eye witnesses at the scene said that the four-star General had only one escort who moved with him on the motorcycle to Malcom Hospital for first aid when the unfortunate incident occurred.
Byekwaso adds that as the army, they cannot yet tell why the rest of his escorts were not with him and it is only Katumba Wamala who can explain why at that particular time he chose to move with only one.
People who have known Katumba Wamala for long say he is not a man who is used to moving with escorts and convoys.
They describe him as a man who is used to moving with only one vehicle despite the fact that he has held a number of high profile and sensitive positions in government which would attract threats.
On December, 19, 2017, General Katumba Wamala in a tweet making rounds on social media dared those who wanted to attack him. It was in response to former Member of Parliament Ondonga Otto who said while appearing on one of the local televisions that Katumba Wamala had punched the Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake and that when the regime changes, they were to go for him because they knew his families, children and gardens.
In response Katumba Wamala tweeted “My home is plot 11 Lugogo Channel and I have no guards. If he wants to use Kaweesi style my vehicle number is UG 1626W. He doesn’t have to wait for regime change.”
The Kaweesi style Katumba Wamala was referring to happened on March 17th, 2017 when assailants moving on motorcycles gruesomely shot dead the former Spokesperson of Uganda Police Force Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard Kenneth Erau and driver Godfrey Mambewa.
The shooting also similarly took place in Kulambiro in Kisaasi, Nakawa Division in Kampala city.
