Kamuli District, Uganda — Tension has gripped Kamuli District following the fatal shooting of Sowedi Egumbye, husband to NRM Woman MP aspirant Sarah Auma, during a violent confrontation on Wednesday night. The incident occurred just hours before the party’s hotly contested primary elections, triggering public outrage and renewed concerns over security and fairness in Uganda’s internal party processes.
Police say the chaos erupted around 11:00 PM when a group allegedly linked to Auma’s campaign forcefully entered the home of Buzaaya County MP Martin Muzaale. According to Busoga North Police spokesperson ASP Michael Kasadha, the group rammed through Muzaale’s gate using one of their vehicles and reportedly attacked individuals at the residence using pangas and hammers.
“They used one of the cars to knock the gate of Hon. Muzaale to gain entry,” Kasadha said.
“They injured people because they had weapons like pangas and hammers. These are some of the items we recovered from the scene.”
Responding to an emergency call, police officers arrived on the scene to find the group attempting to flee. In the process of trying to stop them, shots were fired. Egumbye was hit and later died from his injuries.
“Bullets were fired to deflate the tyres of their vehicle. In that melee, Sowedi was shot and later died,” Kasadha confirmed.
His body was transported to Kamuli General Hospital for a post-mortem, and an investigation is currently underway.
Authorities claim the incident occurred after official campaign hours and suggest it may have been part of a broader effort to manipulate the outcome of the primaries. Several individuals arrested at the scene were reportedly not registered voters in the area.
“We are getting information that several candidates have ferried people from different areas to places where they do not vote. That is a serious electoral offence,” Kasadha added.
Sarah Auma, the deceased’s widow and one of the leading candidates in the Woman MP race, had not issued a statement by press time. She was recently involved in a separate traffic accident on the Kamuli–Jinja highway and had been recovering in hospital.
Local speculation surrounding Egumbye’s death has further fueled tensions. Some residents allege he had a criminal past and had previously evaded arrest in connection with a suspected counterfeit currency operation in Buwagi, where he lived.
“Sowedi has been on the police wanted list for a long time,” said one resident.
“There’s a feeling in the community that this killing may have had less to do with politics and more to do with unfinished business.”
Efforts to get clarification from police on these claims were unsuccessful, as ASP Kasadha did not respond to follow-up calls.
As the NRM primaries proceed across the country, security agencies remain on high alert in Kamuli and other hotspots. Electoral observers and civil society actors have since called for calm, urging political candidates and their supporters to avoid violence and respect the rule of law during the voting process.
Additional Reporting by Nile Post
