Ugandan Minister Charles Okello Engola shot dead by bodyguard

A Ugandan government Minister has been shot dead by his bodyguard in a Kampala suburb on Tuesday morning. Uganda’s Charles Okello Engola was the State Minister for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations and a retired army colonel.

The Minister’s aide was also injured in the incident.

Eyewitnesses said the bodyguard had earlier complained about not being safe as he fired bullets through the suburb. He later turned the gun on himself.

Local resident Latif Ssebagala relates what he witnessed.

“There is a certain shop where he entered and killed himself. I was asking now, who else has been killed? Nobody had the answer. So, I had to go to where the gunshots were coming from. So, I went to the minister’s home. When they opened, I only saw the children crying, the body was lying down.”

Authorities have identified the bodyguard as Private Wilson Sabiiti who had been part of the Minister’s security detail for only a month.

Circumstances leading to the incident are being investigated.

The shooting however raises concern over the safety of government officials.

In 2021, the country’s Transport minister and former army commander was shot and wounded. -Report by Leon Ssenyange

Ugandan government minister shot dead by his bodyguard