Albert Cook Tugume, the younger brother of Kampala Deputy Mayor Doreen Nyanjura, was tragically shot and killed in a robbery at Muvule Stage along Ntinda-Kigowa Road on Thursday evening.

The incident occurred at around 8:30 p.m. as Tugume was closing his mobile money shop. Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, armed and masked, had been stationed near the shop for some time before launching their attack.

A Devastating Discovery

Nyanjura recounted receiving an alarming phone call from a trusted boda boda rider, who informed her of the attack. “He said gunmen had stormed my brother’s shop, started shooting, and abducted him,” Nyanjura said.

Rushing to the scene, Nyanjura found the area cordoned off by security personnel. Despite her efforts to get information from the Officer in Charge of Ntinda Police Station, she received no immediate answers. It was only when a witness approached her that she learned the devastating news: her brother had been shot dead.

“I was strong until I saw his body lying in a pool of blood in the kasasiro (garbage area). It was unbearable,” she said, visibly emotional during an interview.

Attempt to Resist Ends Tragically

According to preliminary accounts, the robbers struck as Tugume was locking up his shop. One of the assailants pulled out a gun and demanded money, knowing that Tugume typically carried cash in a bag at the end of his workday.

A brave boda boda rider, identified as Barnabus, attempted to intervene and disarm the attackers. However, his courageous act was met with gunfire, leaving him critically injured. Tugume tried to flee the scene but was fatally shot by the robbers, who made off with his bag of money.

Robbery or Targeted Attack?

The circumstances surrounding the killing have raised questions. “I don’t know whether this was just a robbery or something political,” Nyanjura remarked, adding that the attackers appeared highly organised.

The robbers reportedly scaled a nearby fence after the shooting, escaping on a waiting boda boda.

Meanwhile, Uganda Police have classified the incident as an aggravated robbery and have launched a full investigation. Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire stated, “This was a violent attack, and our team is gathering all possible evidence, including CCTV footage, to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.”

Meanwhile, the injured boda boda rider remains hospitalised, fighting for his life.

The tragic incident has left the Ntinda community in shock. Residents and shop owners have called for increased security in the area, noting that similar robberies have become alarmingly frequent.

Tugume’s death adds to the growing concern over crime rates in Kampala, with many urging authorities to take decisive action to protect citizens.

As investigations continue, Tugume’s family and friends mourn the loss of a man described as hardworking and kind-hearted. “He was just trying to make a living. This is a cruel injustice,” said a family friend.