On February 24, 2019, a traffic enforcement exercise in Seeta, Mukono District, turned into a controversy involving a senior retired military officer, a female police sergeant, and two military escorts. Maj Gen (Rtd) Matayo Kyaligonza, then Uganda's Ambassador to Burundi, was at the centre of the storm. His vehicle attempted to make an illegal U-turn along the Kampala-Mukono highway, prompting Traffic Sergeant Esther Namaganda to stop and enforce traffic regulations.
Video footage showed a confrontation between Kyaligonza's entourage and Namaganda. His two military police escorts, Lance Corporal Peter Bushindiki and Private John Robert Okurut, physically confronted Namaganda. Kyaligonza was accused of slapping the officer during the altercation. Namaganda maintained she was performing her duties when attacked. The incident sparked a national debate on whether police officers could safely enforce the law when dealing with powerful individuals and their security teams.
The Uganda Police Force condemned the incident and announced investigations into allegations of assault and obstruction of an officer on duty. The UPDF also issued an apology, describing the conduct of the soldiers as regrettable. Kyaligonza defended his team's conduct, claiming they were trying to avoid a chaotic accident scene and alleging the officer had insulted them.
On February 27, 2019, Parliament unanimously adopted a motion calling for Kyaligonza's recall from his diplomatic assignment in Burundi. Lawmakers questioned the conduct of a government representative expected to uphold discipline and respect for the law. President Yoweri Museveni publicly insisted that Kyaligonza should face the law rather than be shielded by his military background or diplomatic position.
Kyaligonza and his two escorts were charged in March 2019 over allegations arising from the confrontation. The charges against Kyaligonza included assault occasioning actual bodily harm, while his escorts faced additional assault and obstruction allegations. The case also involved UBC journalist Peter Otai, who had filmed the confrontation and was reportedly assaulted while documenting the incident.
In August 2019, the High Court intervened in proceedings after the accused challenged the handling of the criminal cases, raising questions about parallel proceedings in civilian and military courts. The Seeta confrontation remains an important chapter in Uganda's public debate about security personnel, accountability, diplomatic privilege, and the treatment of ordinary citizens.
The incident raised uncomfortable questions about power and accountability. For Sergeant Esther Namaganda, it was supposed to be just another day of enforcing traffic regulations. Instead, she found herself at the centre of a national controversy that placed the relationship between power and accountability under intense public scrutiny. The incident continues to resonate in Uganda's ongoing discussions about security, accountability, and the rule of law.
Key points
- Gen Matayo Kyaligonza was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
- The incident sparked a national debate on police officers' ability to enforce the law when dealing with powerful individuals.
- Parliament unanimously adopted a motion calling for Kyaligonza's recall from his diplomatic assignment in Burundi.
