Residents of Nabuta village in Mukono district were left in shock on Thursday evening after Peter Ssekamate, a mobile money agent, was shot dead by two armed assailants who stormed the trading centre and robbed several businesses.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen moved from one mobile money outlet to another, demanding cash from each operator. Ssekamate was allegedly shot after he questioned their identity.
“They first told his wife to move away. They then ordered him to hand over all the money he had. When he asked who they were, they took the money and shot him,” a witness recounted.
Wave of armed robberies
Nabuta village chairperson Ssenyonga Kyeyune said the assailants are suspected to have come from the neighbouring Kirowooza village. He added that armed robberies targeting mobile money agents and wholesale shops have become alarmingly frequent in the area.
“These men attack traders during the day or early evening, between 7 pm and 9 pm. They don’t want anyone to resist their orders. The young man who was killed only tried to ask who they were, and their answer was a bullet,” Kyeyune said.
He appealed for an increased police presence in the affected trading centres, saying the community is living in fear. The traders are now terrified as the same gang is believed to have targeted nearby villages multiple times.
Patrick Onyango, Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, confirmed the shooting and said investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the suspects.
“The modus operandi of the Mukono attackers is similar to incidents previously recorded in Kampala and Wakiso districts,” Onyango said. “These thugs have expanded their operations to other areas, but security agencies are working jointly to track them down.”
He revealed that police are reviewing CCTV footage and intelligence reports to trace the movement of the attackers after the incident. Earlier this year, similar armed robberies were reported in Kasangati and Kakiri, where masked gunmen killed two traders operating mobile money and retail businesses.
Police later arrested several suspects and shot one robber during a pursuit, though five members of the group remain at large.
About the Author
