Afande Herbert Matanda Mabonga has made explosive allegations about the June 1, 2021 shooting of Gen. Katumba Wamala, claiming it was an inside job intended to eliminate him. In a recent interview with Comrade Mordecai Murrisa on Mordecai Murrisa Live, Mabonga alleged that Katumba was viewed as a threat to the Muhoozi succession project due to his influence and respect within the military.
According to Mabonga, the operation was assigned to SFC commandos, although the regime subsequently blamed ADF rebels. The attack claimed the lives of Katumba's daughter, Brenda Nantongo, and his driver, Haruna Kayondo, while the General survived. Mabonga's allegations raise questions about accountability within Uganda's security institutions and the truth behind the 2021 shooting.
Mabonga also made serious allegations concerning the former IGP, Gen. Paul Lokech, claiming that he had made efforts to investigate the attack and apprehend those involved, including alleged members of the SFC. He suggested that Lokech's efforts to expose those behind the operation may have contributed to his subsequent death in August 2021, which authorities described as resulting from a blood clot.
The June 1, 2021 attack remains one of Uganda's most shocking security incidents. Gunmen riding motorcycles opened fire on Katumba's vehicle along Kisota Road in the Kisaasi area of Kampala. Although Katumba survived the hail of bullets despite sustaining serious injuries, the attack claimed the lives of his daughter and driver.
Mabonga alleged that some of the commandos who failed to execute the mission were later killed, raising further questions about what he described as a wider operation to conceal the truth. His revelations, if substantiated, would raise serious questions about accountability within Uganda's security institutions.
The claims remain unverified and should not be treated as established findings. Neither the SFC nor the government has been presented as having responded to these latest allegations. The renewed controversy places the 2021 Katumba shooting back under public scrutiny, particularly the unanswered questions surrounding who planned the attack, who financed it and whether the full truth about the killings has ever been established.
The incident triggered nationwide outrage and renewed questions about the country's intelligence and security systems. As the allegations continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how the authorities will respond to Mabonga's claims and whether an investigation will be conducted to uncover the truth behind the 2021 shooting of Gen. Katumba Wamala.
Key points
- Afande Mabonga alleges the 2021 shooting of Gen. Katumba Wamala was an inside job to eliminate him due to his influence and perceived threat to the Muhoozi succession project.
