By Ben Musanje
Police in Uganda have spoken out after two disturbing child kidnapping cases shocked communities in Wakiso and Mubende districts, one ending in relief and the other in heartbreaking tragedy.
In Matugga, police successfully rescued a three-year-old girl who had allegedly been kidnapped and held for ransom.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Rachel Kawala, the incident began on March 8, 2026, when the child left home at around midday to play with friends in the neighbourhood but failed to return.
Her worried mother reportedly searched for her in vain.
Kawala said the situation escalated later that evening when, at about 6:00 pm, the child’s grandmother received a WhatsApp message containing a photograph of the missing girl. She explained that the sender demanded UGX 40 million as ransom in exchange for the child’s release.
Police at Matugga Police Station immediately opened a case of a missing child and launched a search operation.
Investigators later arrested two suspects Godfrey Selwanja Godfrey and Shakib Ntege in connection with the kidnapping.
The child was eventually found alive at a home in Kayilira Village, Buwambo Ward in Gombe Division, Wakiso District, which belonged to one of the suspects.
Kawala added that the young victim was successfully recovered and immediately rushed by a police task team for medical examination and care.
She also cautioned parents and guardians to remain vigilant and closely monitor their children in order to prevent similar incidents.
However, while police were celebrating the successful rescue in Wakiso, another family in Mubende District was dealing with a devastating loss.
A four-year-old boy, Daniel Kazungu, who had been kidnapped from his home, was later found murdered.
According to Wamala Region Police Spokesperson Lameck Kigozi, the child’s father, Eric Baingana, reported the disappearance on March 9, 2026 at Mubende Police Station.
Kigozi said the father had woken up at about 5:00 am to prepare his children for school when he discovered that the four-year-old was missing from bed. He explained that the back door of the house had been found open while everyone else in the home was still asleep, indicating that the suspect had broken in and taken the child.
He further revealed that the kidnapper later contacted the father and demanded UGX 6 million as ransom for the child’s release.
In a desperate attempt to save the boy, the family managed to mobilize UGX 1 million, which they sent to the suspect.
However, investigations later revealed that the child had already been murdered.
Kigozi said a joint tracking team from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and the Police Flying Squad later traced and arrested the suspect, Emmanuel Muwanguzi, in Kibaati, Kansanga in Kampala.
He added that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to kidnapping the child, murdering him, and dumping the body in a pit latrine belonging to a resident identified as Frank Rwabutarye in Nalutete village.
On Friday morning, police fire brigade teams retrieved the child’s body from the pit latrine and conveyed it to Mubende Hospital Mortuary.
Kigozi confirmed that the suspect had been charged with murder and would be produced before court.
The two incidents, one ending in rescue and the other in tragedy have sent shockwaves through communities and renewed police warnings to parents to remain alert as criminals increasingly target vulnerable children.
For one family in Wakiso, the nightmare ended with their child safely back home.
For another in Mubende, the search ended in grief. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
