Gunmen kidnap, kill Rotarian in Mukono

 Gunmen dressed in military uniform over the weekend kidnapped and killed a Compassion International official before dumping his body by the roadside near a railway line in Namumira village, Mukono Central Division. The victim, Godfrey Wayengera, 45, lived in Nsuube A village and served as the director of Beloved Daycare and Nursery School. He was also a Rotarian and a church leader at St. Hannington Church of Uganda.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said the attackers abducted Wayengera and his wife, Najabi Christine, while they were returning from a burial in Mbale. The suspects, dressed in UPDF-like uniforms, claimed they were escorting the couple to Mukono Police Station. Instead, they took them to Kyungu Road, where they killed Wayengera.

They later dumped his wife in Jinja Misindye, Goma Division. Good Samaritans rescued Najabi and took her to Mukono General Hospital, where she is currently receiving treatment. Police responded quickly, recorded witness statements, and transferred Wayengera’s body to Mulago City Mortuary for a postmortem.

They also recovered the couple’s vehicle, a Toyota Fielder registration number UBP 520A, from Jinja Misindye. It is now parked at the police station. However, the suspects are still at large, and investigations are ongoing.

Namumira village leaders, including chairman Henry Lukomu and defense secretary Abdul Karim Tumusime, blamed the growing insecurity on the overgrown railway corridor. They said the railway company stopped residents from farming near the tracks, which has left the area bushy and prone to crime.

In Nsuube A village, local chairman Eric Ssemakula and defense secretary Warren Tusigwire said they searched for Wayengera throughout the night after his wife raised the alarm. “His wife called me when he delayed reaching home. I alerted police, and the officer in charge of operations tracked their car, but the signal went cold around Iganga. We searched until 3 a.m., but found nothing. In the morning, we received the heartbreaking news that he had been murdered and dumped in Namumira,” Ssemakula said.

Boda boda riders who frequent the road, including David Luwalira, said robbers routinely attack motorists. He urged authorities to install security cameras and clear the bush to reduce crime. Hassan Kasibante, the Mukono Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), condemned the murder and promised to ensure the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice