At around 8:45 a Crime Intelligence Officer attached to Kira Police Station who resides not so far from where Gen. Katumba Wamala was attacked by unknown gunmen, received a call from vigilantees who turned to be truck drivers operating along Kisota Road ( approximately 500 meters from the crime scene).
The vigilantees told this female Intelligence officer only identified as Shama that two boda boda riders carrying two passenger dressed with Reflector Jackets and helmets were following a military SUV. The vigilantees sensed something unusual.
At the same time, a man who was jogging saw one of the boda bodas overtake the military SUV whereas the second bike started closing in on car.
In a space of 5 minutes after the truck drivers who mainly deal in selling sand and hardcore stones along the road had telephoned the officer, heavy gunfire erupted.
The neighbours who witnessed the shooting entered their houses and made an alarm thinking robbers had attacked the military vehicle.
Some of the eyewitnesses who operate small business along the road all ran away to save their dear lives.
One boy who remains unidentified that owns a workshop that refills and recharges batteries survived death narrowly after he was shot in the leg for witnessing the shooting.
WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?
Gen. Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works normally Kisota route that joins Bukoto road to avoid heavy traffic jam – considering the roadworks are taking place Kisaasi- Ntinda flyover.
Katumba’s aides told this reporter that he buys newspapers at Kisasi near Malcom Clinic before branching off to Kisota road.
Katumba together with his daughter Brendah Nantongo Wamala were seated in the back seats while his bodyguard and driver only identified as Kayondo were in the front seat.
After the assailants fired the first shots, the driver Kayondo tried to race the SUV but the assailants deflated all front tyres and the car stopped.
They then sprayed the car with volleys of live ammunitions from all angles.
Kayondo died on spot, Brendah too succumbed to bullet wounds.
Heroic Bodyguard saves Katumba, hides him in chicken house.
As the assailants deflated the tyres of the powerful SUV H4DF 2138, Katumba’s bodyguard, who is yet to be identified jumped out of the car and took cover under the car as he exchanged fire with the assassins.
The killers were reportedly four in number, two riders and two shooters.
The shooters jumped off the boda bodas and also took cover as they fired at the car.
However, the bodyguard barred the killers from getting close to the car to finish the former CDF.
The bodyguard opened for his boss who was seated on the left side at the back and secured him while shooting at the assassins.
He took him to the nearby houses for safety but the occupants refused to open because of the heavy gunfire.
The bodyguard shifted Katumba to a chicken house, locked him inside and rushed back to save Katumba’s daughter who was already dead.
While inside the chicken house, neighbours started congregating as Katumba wailed that he was losing a lot of blood.
A neighbor opened the door and Katumba ran back to the car to save his daughter Brendah who was already dead.
No police officer was at the scene at this time. Only boda boda riders and other passersby were available.
There was only one traffic officer who was junction of Kisota and Bukoto, he saw the assassins holding the guns and branched off to Sebagala Road which continues to Kikaya and Kanyanya.
The eyewitnesses told this reporter that the shooting lasted for 1 minute.
Katumba who was severely bleeding was advised by boda boda riders to seek medical attention, and he was rushed to Malcom Clinic on a boda for first aid before he was transferred to Medipal Hospital in Kololo.
It later emerged he was in stable condition and had sustained bullet injuries on the shoulder and the stomach.
CRIME SCENE
After a few minutes of the shooting police and the army cordoned off the road and started reconstructing the crime scene.
Security took several interviews from the eyewitnesses who saw incident.
Security chiefs including the CDF Gen. David Muhoozi, Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda, deputy IGP Maj. Gen. Paul Lokech all visited the crime scene and made several investigations as forensic officers reviewed the scene.
By 2pm, Katumba’s SUV was still at the scene with its engine running with his daughter and driver’s bodies unremoved
PHOTOS OF KILLERS
This website has obtained photos revealing the killers on their motorbikes while holding guns.
Whereas there are no CCTV cameras on Kisota Road, police used the nearby apartment which has a CCTV to retrieve the footage.
