By Aggrey Baba
Ugandans are once again asking tough questions about the country’s justice system, following the recent charging of SSP Nixon Agasirwe, over the 2015 assassination Joan Kagezi.
This has brought back memories of several unresolved high-profile killings that have rocked the country in recent years. While the headlines may shift, the pattern remains the same, tha a prominent figure is murdered in cold blood, arrests are made, investigations announced, but in the end, justice never comes.
In March 2017, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi was shot dead alongside his bodyguard and driver just outside his home in Kulambiro.
The attackers, reportedly riding on motorcycles, sprayed bullets into the vehicle before fleeing the scene, and what followed was a wave of arrests, including civilians and fellow police officers, yet to date, the case remains in court with no conviction, and little hope of a breakthrough.
Now, nearly a decade after Kagezi’s murder in similar circumstances, Agasirwe has been brought back into the picture. The former Flying Squad boss, known for his deep involvement in covert police operations under former police boss, Gen. Kale Kayihura, is accused of masterminding the attack, following a former suspect in the same case who reportedly turned witness and implicated him.
Kagezi was shot dead in Kiwatule on March 30, 2015, as she made a quick stop to buy fruits on her way home. Her children were in the car and watched helplessly as their mother was gunned down. At the time, she was leading high-risk prosecutions against suspected terrorists involved in the 2010 Kampala bombings.
Agasirwe, who has faced other legal troubles in the past, including torture allegations and involvement in illegal rendition of Rwandan refugees, was a few days back remanded as the case returns to the spotlight.
But for many, the bigger concern lies beyond the individual. It is about the long list of victims whose killers remain at large.
In September 2018, former Buyende DPC Muhammad Kirumira was gunned down in Bulenga shortly after publicly expressing fears for his life. Suspects were arrested, but in 2023, they were acquitted due to lack of evidence, and up to now, the late officer’s family is still waiting for answers.
On June 1, 2021, gunmen targeted the Minister for transport and works, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala in Kisasi, surviving the attack which claimed his daughter and driver’s lives. While several suspects were killed in police operations and others brought to court, the case has dragged on with no final verdict.
In December 2020, national boxing champion Isaac Ssenyange(Zebra) was shot dead at his home in Bwaise. President Yoweri Museveni later confirmed that government operatives were behind the killing and promised action. But five years later, there are still no suspects before court.
In 2018, the country was shocked by the murder of Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga and his bodyguard, who were killed near his home in Kawanda. No arrests were made.
In 2023, popular blogger Isma Olaxes was shot dead outside his gate in Kyanja, spent cartridges were recovered, but no suspect has ever been named.
Even security personnel have not been spared. In January this year, Cpl Richard Muhumuza, a bodyguard to House of Prayer Ministries pastor Aloysius Bujingo, was shot dead while seated in the co-driver’s seat, but the case remains unresolved.
The husband of prominent ritualist and business woman Sylvia Namutebi (Mama Fina), Maj. Muhammad Kiggundu, businessman Joshua Nteireho, and several others have also met similar fates. Investigations are usually launched with urgency, but end with no arrests, or cases collapse for lack of evidence.
While police and other security agencies often pledge commitment to bring perpetrators to book, public confidence in the process has steadily declined.
With Agasirwe now on the charge sheet, many are watching closely to see whether the Kagezi case will finally yield justice, or become yet another file gathering dust in the system.
For families of the fallen, the pain is compounded by the silence. And now the public’s bigger fear remains: If those who kill the powerful can get away with it, who is truly safe? (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
