Rukungiri LC5 Candidate Shot Dead

By Geoffrey Kamali A senior press officer with the Presidential Press Unit, Lt. Godfrey Bihunyira Ngabirano, was shot dead on Tuesday night as he drove home on Kasirye road in Rubaga, a Kampala suburb. Ngabirano, 43, a contender for the Rukungiri LC5 chairmanship, was gunned down at close range at about 10:30pm near his residence on Kasirye road, Police sources said. His body was found in his car seat, with bullet wounds through the head, jaw and the collar bone. The body was taken to the city mortuary for a postmortem. Ngabirano was the only candidate contesting for the Rukungiri seat against the incumbent, Anthanansius Rutaroh. Horrified supporters in Rukungiri town have demanded for a probe into the murder. Rutaroh yesterday said he was shocked by the murder. He condemned the perpetrators and appealed to the electorate to remain calm and law-abiding as the Police investigate the matter. There will be a requiem service for the deceased at Christ the King Church today at 10:00am. Police and military intelligence officers swung into action yesterday to hunt for the killers. They combed the scene of the murder and picked bullet cartridges and other evidence for scrutiny. Sources said this was the second attempt on Ngabirano’s life. Investigators at the scene said there were no signs of scuffle. “It appears that he was blocked, his assailants came out and shot at him directly, then they fled the scene,” the regional Police commander, Ahmed Wafuba, said yesterday. The three thugs had earlier robbed a special-hire driver, Paulo Mukisa, of his car and sh40,000. They also took sh300,000 and a mobile phone from Mukisa’s passenger.