Muhamadi Matovu

Bundles of cash, champagne, wine and whiskey were thrown into Ivan Ssemwanga’s grave during his burial in Kayunga in May 2017, in a final display of extravagance that reflected the lifestyle of the man who styled himself the “president” of Uganda’s Rich Gang. Police reportedly guarded the grave for months to prevent people from returning to retrieve the money, turning his burial into one of the most talked-about episodes in Uganda’s celebrity culture. Ssemwanga, who died aged 39, was a socialite and businessman whose public image revolved around luxury cars, lavish spending and investments in South Africa. He had moved there in search of opportunities, reportedly investing in schools, hostels and apartments. His extravagant December visits to Kampala often attracted attention, while his relationship with socialite Zari Hassan further elevated his celebrity status. Their traditional introduction ceremony reportedly cost more than Shs1 billion. But his flashy lifestyle came to an abrupt end after he suffered a severe stroke in Pretoria, South Africa. He was admitted to Steve Biko Hospital, where he remained in a coma for about 11 to 12 days as doctors treated him for bleeding in the brain associated with high blood pressure. Ssemwanga died on May 25, 2017, leaving behind Zari, his former partner, and their three sons. Zari, who reportedly remained by his side during his hospitalisation, announced his death on social media, referring to him as “Ivan the Great.” She later dismissed rumours that he had been poisoned. His body was returned to Uganda on May 28, 2017, reportedly under a different name on the travel documents. A vigil was held in Muyenga, followed by prayers at Namirembe Cathedral, before the body was taken to his ancestral home in Nakaliro, Kayunga District, for burial. His final journey attracted large crowds and a convoy of vehicles, reflecting the public fascination that had followed him throughout his life. However, it was the burial that cemented his place in Uganda’s celebrity folklore. The cash and alcohol thrown into his grave became a defining image of a man whose identity had been closely associated with wealth, luxury and conspicuous spending. His death also sparked speculation that he had faked it, but his family dismissed the claims.

President Museveni shook hands with his fiercest political rivals, Kizza Besigye and Amama Mbabazi, at Namugongo Martyrs Shrine in November 2015, in a rare moment of political civility months before Uganda’s heated 2016 presidential election. The encounters took place on November 28, during Pope Francis’s Mass commemorating 50 years since the canonisation of the Uganda Martyrs. Besigye, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, had been locked in a bitter political rivalry with Museveni for years, while former prime minister Mbabazi was challenging the President as an independent candidate. The handshake attracted widespread attention because of the hostility that had characterised Museveni and Besigye’s relationship since their political fallout. Besigye interpreted the gesture as a sign that Museveni recognised him as his successor, telling supporters the following day that the President should retire. Museveni, however, played down the significance of the encounter, saying he had no problem meeting Besigye or anyone else. The meeting occurred as the three politicians campaigned for the February 2016 presidential election, which Museveni eventually won. The Pope’s visit drew hundreds of thousands of worshippers to Namugongo, but the unexpected political encounters became one of its most memorable moments, briefly placing civility at the centre of Uganda’s otherwise tense election contest.

A cracked skull and severe brain injuries turned rising music producer Danz Kumapeesa’s promising career into a months-long fight for survival after he was brutally beaten by unknown assailants in Kampala in June 2017. Kumapeesa, whose real name was Daniel Mukisa, was attacked near his home in the Makindye area, with reports indicating that the assailants beat him severely and stole household items, including phones and a television. He was rushed to Nsambya Hospital, where he spent about three to four months in the Intensive Care Unit, much of the time in a coma. His family and colleagues organised fundraising activities, including a charity concert and car wash, to help meet mounting medical expenses. However, the family reportedly struggled to sustain his treatment and discharged him in September 2017 to continue receiving care at home. Kumapeesa died on October 7, 2017, from complications arising from his injuries. He was buried two days later. His mother, Jennifer Kisakye, questioned whether the attack was an ordinary robbery, saying it appeared more like a targeted attempt to kill him. However, police never publicly identified or charged anyone over the attack. Despite his short career, Kumapeesa made a significant contribution to Uganda’s music industry, producing popular songs such as Musawo by Winnie Nwagi, Mbozi Za Malwa by Bebe Cool featuring Sauti Sol, and Yo Sweet by Rema Namakula. His death drew tributes from musicians who remembered him as a gifted producer whose career was cut short by violence.

Anita Among’s appearance at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting at State House, Entebbe, on October 27, 2026, signals her possible political rehabilitation after months of controversy that cost her the Speakership. Among, the Bukedea Woman MP and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), served as Speaker from March 2022 until May 2026. In mid-May, security teams reportedly searched properties linked to her in Nakasero, Kigo and Bukedea amid allegations of corruption, illicit enrichment, money laundering and abuse of office. On May 17, she withdrew from the Speakership race, citing consultations and the need to preserve party harmony. Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth subsequently became Speaker, while Thomas Tayebwa retained the Deputy Speakership. Among reportedly spent about 100 days under house arrest before Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced in late August that President Yoweri Museveni had ordered her release and that she would not be prosecuted. Muhoozi said Museveni had decided to forgive Among despite mistakes she had made. She subsequently thanked the President for what she described as parental grace and mercy. Her return to the CEC places her back among the ruling party’s senior leadership, although it does not establish that she has regained her former influence. The development raises questions about presidential power and accountability within the NRM. While Among lost the Speakership, she retained her parliamentary seat and senior party position, preserving her access to the party’s decision-making structures. More significantly, the reported decision not to prosecute her raises questions about the status of the investigations and whether the allegations were resolved through an independent legal process. Political reconciliation may strengthen party unity, but it does not establish innocence or substitute for transparent accountability.

A masked attacker scaled a perimeter wall and broke into the bedroom area of a home in Entebbe before stabbing Swiss-based Ugandan couple David and Deborah Mutaaga to death, leaving their cash and phones untouched. The couple were killed on the night of July 6, 2025, hours after hosting a welcome gathering following their return to Uganda from Switzerland, where they had lived for about three decades. David Baagala Mutaaga, 69, was reportedly attacked first while drinking wine. His wife, Deborah Florence Naizuwa Mutaaga, 62, attempted to call for help but was also stabbed in the chest. According to accounts of the incident, the attacker entered through a broken window near the bedroom after scaling the perimeter wall, reportedly using an electric pole. Deborah contacted their domestic workers, a neighbour and a friend, but help arrived too late to save the couple. CCTV footage captured a suspect wearing dark clothing, maroon trousers with stripes, gloves and a face covering while holding a sharp object. Police also released an audio recording in which the attacker appeared to express resentment over the victims’ children having received an education. The motive remains unconfirmed, although investigators have explored possible family or inheritance-related grievances. David had reportedly inherited ancestral land from his late father. The couple had spent about 30 years in Zurich, Switzerland, where they raised their two children, before returning to Uganda to retire. They lived in Lugonjo-Nakiwogo Cell, Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District. More than a year after the killings, police have released several people arrested during investigations, citing insufficient evidence linking them to the crime. Police spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke has maintained that investigations remain open and that the suspect captured in the CCTV footage has not been brought to justice. Police initially offered Shs50 million for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. The reward was reportedly increased to Shs60 million in September 2025, although subsequent statements in October 2026 referred to Shs50 million still being available. No one has been convicted over the killings.

Between 2010 and 2025, a man identified as Moses Mujurizi allegedly killed and ate 38 people across Masaka, Ibanda and Kazo districts. This revives a long-running Greater Masaka murder investigation. Police and earlier media reports had identified a highly dangerous suspect as Fred Mujulizi, also known as Kulaish or Kulaishi Kamugisha. In 2013, then Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations Godfrey Musana described him as constantly moving on motorcycles. Assailants linked to him were alleged to have dug or drilled through the walls of victims’ homes before hacking the occupants with machetes. Among the cases publicly associated with him is the January 2013 killing of nine members of Pentecostal pastor Steven Mugambe’s family in Kanabulemu village, Kyebe Sub-county, in Rakai District, now part of Kyotera District. Other reported incidents include the late-2012 killings of six people from two families in Kyannamukaaka Sub-county, Masaka, and five people from two families in Kijonjo village, Buwunga Sub-county, in 2023. Reports noted that he had been arrested multiple times since 2009 but repeatedly escaped or was released under disputed circumstances. In mid-October 2026, a man identified as Fred Mujulizi, alias Kulaish Kamugisha, a 38-year-old moneylender from the Nyendo-Mukungwe area, appeared before a Masaka magistrate alongside Huzairuh Kyambadde. They faced murder and human trafficking charges linked to the September 28 killing of a woman in a suspected ritual murder. Police said the suspect had confessed and that exhibits were recovered from his home. Both accused were remanded to Masaka Central Prison until November 5 as Greater Masaka police reopened older case files and received fresh complaints from families.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga suspended 25 MPs from Parliament in September 2017 after chaotic proceedings over a proposal to remove the presidential age limit, paving the way for President Yoweri Museveni to seek re-election. The MPs were suspended for three sittings on September 27 following misconduct during the previous day’s debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 of 2017. Some refused to leave the chamber and were subsequently ejected by security personnel, including members of the Special Forces Command. Among those suspended were Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, Francis Zaake, Betty Nambooze, Medard Ssegona, Muhammad Nsereko, Nathan Nandala Mafabi and Jonathan Odur. The group included opposition, independent and ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) legislators, including some who opposed the proposed constitutional amendment. The controversy unfolded amid heavy security deployment, fistfights and arrests as Parliament considered scrapping Article 102(b), which barred anyone above 75 from contesting for president. In December 2017, Kadaga separately suspended six opposition MPs over further disruptions during debate on the amendment.