Public Service minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala on Monday gave an emotional account before the International Crimes Division of the High court of how he survived the 2021 assassination attempt that claimed the lives of his daughter and driver and left him with life-changing injuries.
The testimony was heard before a four-member panel comprising justices Susan Okalany, Richard Wejuli Wabwire, Dr Winifred Nabisinde and Vincent Wagona as the prosecution nears the close of its case against six men facing terrorism, murder and aggravated robbery charges.
The accused are Muhammad Kagugube, Sirimani Kisambira, Abdullah Aziz Ramadhan, Dunka, Kamada Walusimbi, Habib Ramadhan Marjan and Huzaifah Wampa, who have been on remand at Luzira Prison since 2021.
The charges arise from the June 1, 2021 attack on Katumba’s convoy, which killed his daughter, Brenda Nantongo Wamala, and his driver, Sgt Haruna Kayondo. Katumba and his bodyguard, then Sgt Khalid Kuboit, survived with gunshot injuries. Kuboit has since been promoted to Lieutenant in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Taking the witness stand, Katumba told the court that he left his home in Bulabira that morning accompanied by his daughter, driver and bodyguard. They were travelling to Najjanankumbi to prepare for the burial of his mother-in-law.
The group travelled in the minister’s official Toyota Land Cruiser V8, registration H4DF 2138, while his head of security, Warrant Officer One Badru Mutyaba, followed in a pickup truck.
Katumba said the convoy briefly stopped at Kulambiro to buy newspapers before Mutyaba branched off onto the Northern Bypass to replace the pickup’s tyres. He testified that nothing appeared unusual during the journey and that neither he nor the other occupants noticed anyone following them.
Moments after joining Kisota Road, Katumba said he heard what he initially thought was the sound of a boda boda colliding with the vehicle.
“The noise continued, and then I realised we were under attack,” he told the court.
According to his testimony, gunfire erupted simultaneously from the left, right and front of the vehicle. Katumba was seated in the rear behind his bodyguard, while his daughter was seated behind the driver.
He recalled that Brenda was the first to be struck.
“She fell onto my lap crying out, ‘Jesus,'” Katumba testified.
He said he saw one of the attackers standing directly in front of the vehicle firing continuously. By then, he had already been shot in the right shoulder. As he attempted to raise his left arm and get out of the vehicle, another bullet shattered his left shoulder.
Despite his injuries, Katumba said he managed to crawl out through the left side of the vehicle before rolling behind the rear wheel for cover. His bodyguard later joined him.
While hiding, Katumba testified that he saw one of the attackers advancing towards them while firing. He instructed Kuboit to return fire, although he acknowledged that his bodyguard’s position made it difficult to engage the attackers effectively.
When senior state attorney Marion Ben Bella asked whether Kuboit had fired after leaving the vehicle, Katumba said he could not tell because of the confusion during the attack.
He told the court that the attackers eventually retreated, mounted motorcycles and fled through the Kisota-Kisaasi Road towards Bukoto. Unable to walk because of his injuries, Katumba said his bodyguard helped him into a nearby poultry house, where he took cover while Kuboit returned to secure the vehicle.
The minister testified that he continued bleeding heavily and feared he would not survive.
After the shooting subsided, he made his way back towards the scene, where he found members of the public and boda boda riders gathering. He recalled hearing one rider say in Luganda, “I know this Afande.”
Although the riders urged him to seek medical attention immediately, Katumba said he initially hesitated because the attackers had also used motorcycles.
One of the riders, later identified as William Kawuki, assured him of his safety and persuaded him to board his motorcycle. Together with Kuboit, they travelled to Malcolm Medical Centre in Kisaasi, where doctors administered first aid and stabilised his condition.
By then, news of the shooting had spread and UPDF personnel had been deployed around the health facility. After receiving emergency treatment, Katumba was transferred to Medipal International Hospital for specialised care.
Doctors removed a bullet lodged in his right shoulder and treated his shattered left arm, inserting metal implants to stabilise the limb. Although additional procedures were still required, he said the treatment enabled him to attend the burials of both his daughter and his mother-in-law.
He was later referred to Ruby Hospital before doctors recommended further specialised surgery at Emory Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, where he underwent additional operations.
Asked whether he recognised any of the attackers, Katumba said it was difficult because events unfolded rapidly.
He testified that he only clearly saw one short man positioned in front of the vehicle, adding that his bodyguard had a better view of the other assailants. He said the attackers were armed with AK-47 rifles.
Reflecting on the attack, Katumba told the court it had permanently changed his life.
He said that although he had always enjoyed interacting freely with members of the public, he now lives under heightened security and views the world differently.
Even so, he added that he still believes good people outnumber bad people. Katumba also told the court that although he has recovered from his injuries, he continues to undergo medical reviews every six months to monitor the metal implants in his arm.
Kuboit also testified before the court, saying he had recently returned from deployment in Somalia before being assigned to protect the minister. He said three soldiers were attached to Katumba’s residence, but he was the officer accompanying him on the day of the attack.
Kuboit testified that as the shooting began, he saw two motorcycles and a maroon Toyota Harrier. He returned fire, after which both the motorcycles and the vehicle sped away.
He said he spent three days admitted at Medipal Hospital recovering from injuries sustained during the attack but could not identify the attackers because they had concealed their faces.
According to his testimony, only two of the assailants actively fired their weapons.
The accused face charges of terrorism, financing terrorism, belonging to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), ten counts of murder, 12 counts of attempted murder and aggravated robbery.
They were first arraigned before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s court in January 2022 on 30 charges arising from a series of attacks in Kampala and other parts of the country.
Prosecutors allege the group was responsible not only for the attack on Katumba but also for a string of murders, robberies and attempted murders targeting businesses, including Cheap General Hardware, City Shoppers Supermarket and Denovo Bakery, with operations allegedly extending to Luweero, Kasese and parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Investigators further told the court that searches recovered AK-47 rifles, pistols, ammunition, motorcycles, hoods, toy pistols, knives, SIM cards, mobile phone accessories and Arabic-language literature containing instructions on the manufacture of improvised explosive devices.
According to the prosecution, forensic analysis linked some of the recovered firearms to previous high-profile assassinations, including the 2016 killing of Maj Muhammad Kiggundu and his bodyguard, Sgt Steven Mukasa, and the 2017 assassination of Assistant Inspector General of Police Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard Godfrey Mambewa and driver Corporal Erau Kenneth.