A cloud of grief hangs over Kaweweta Training School in Nakaseke District following a tragic act of violence that left a young woman dead and a soldier fighting for his life.
The Uganda Police Force in the Savannah region has confirmed a case of murder and attempted suicide at the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) training facility.
On the evening of March 3, 2025, Cpl Denis Sserunkuma, a soldier attached to the training wing at Kaweweta, allegedly turned his service weapon on his girlfriend, Keila Kebirungi Adyeri, after a heated domestic dispute.
In the close confines of the barracks, their quarrel took a dark and irreversible turn.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sam Twiineamazima, the Savannah Regional Police spokesperson, Sserunkuma emerged from his modest, grass-thatched quarters, an SMG rifle in his grip, and fired the fatal shots at Kebirungi.
The bullets tore through her, ending her life instantly. The barracks, often a place of camaraderie and discipline, became the backdrop for an unspeakable tragedy.
Overwhelmed by the gravity of his actions, Sserunkuma then turned the gun on himself. The bullet entered through his chin, but fate was cruelly lenient—he survived.
Bleeding and in critical condition, he was rushed to Kaweweta Military Health Centre for emergency treatment. Whether he will survive remains uncertain.
Kebirungi’s lifeless body was later transported to Bombo Military Hospital for a postmortem examination as authorities began piecing together the events that led to the fatal confrontation.
The investigation now seeks to uncover the root of their dispute and determine the motive behind Sserunkuma’s violent outburst.
The case was officially registered at Kinyogoga Police Station, underscoring a grim pattern of domestic violence within Uganda’s armed forces.
Such incidents are tragically familiar, with many linked to infidelity, strained relationships, or the crushing weight of mental health struggles among soldiers.
The recently released 2024 crime report paints a bleak picture of rising violence. It documented 188 cases of murder by shooting across Uganda in 2024—a slight decline from the 300 reported in 2023.
However, the scourge of domestic violence remains alarmingly persistent, with 183 reported murder cases stemming from domestic disputes in 2024, compared to 242 in the previous year.
The tragedy at Kaweweta is a painful reminder of the volatility that often lurks behind closed doors, even within institutions built on discipline and order.
As Kebirungi’s family mourns an irreplaceable loss, the larger question remains—what more can be done to curb the cycle of domestic violence within Uganda’s armed forces before another life is lost to the barrel of a gun?
