By Toko Godwin
December 23, 2025, marks a year since Julius Ssemwaka, a mini-truck driver, was shot dead by a policeman in Nakasero, Kampala. The incident, sparked by a traffic dispute, has gone largely un-investigated, with the suspect, Constable Charles Bahati, still at large.
On the afternoon of Monday, December 23, 2024, Ssemwaka, set off with a consignment of jerrycans for delivery to a client in his mini- truck registration number UAX 604C. Julius had delivered goods several times before – it was his full-time job. The proceeds from these deliveries were his main source of income, which explains why, at a time when millions of Ugandans had retreated home to spend the festive season with their families, he was still on the road trying to earn a living. Unfortunately, he didn’t earn that day’s bread. He was shot dead by a policeman in Nakasero.
According to eyewitnesses, Julius’ truck was caught in Kampala’s notorious traffic gridlock at Nakasero, not far from the State Lodge. Behind him was a police patrol vehicle, the kind used for transporting Uganda’s political VIPs. One of the policemen jumped off the truck and demanded that Julius give way, but he couldn’t. An argument ensued, which the police officer was not about to win, so he discharged a bullet from his firearm, striking Julius and taking his life.
Most eyewitness statements didn’t account for what happened to the policeman after the shooting. Accounts of his actions were contradictory: some say he fled the scene on a boda boda, others dispute this and say he went back to the police patrol truck, while some say he fled on foot.
Five days after the incident, the police issued a statement identifying the shooting cop as Charles Bahati, Constable No. 55915 from the Very Important Persons Protection Unit (VIPPU). They shared two of his casual selfie photos, but no official photo in uniform or details about his background or the police’s progress in apprehending him. The police concluded that they would do their best to apprehend Bahati, urging the public to be patient and offer help in capturing him.
Out of sight out mind…
One year later, the police have yet to apprehend their officer, let alone arraign him in court. The media has largely stopped reporting on the incident, and the public has moved on. However, Nicholas Sengoba, a prominent journalist at the Daily Monitor, has made commendable efforts to keep the conversation alive. In a tweet, he writes, “It’s DAY 349 since PC Charles Bahati from Bushenyi shot dead, Julius Ssekamwa, driver of M/v UAX 480C & ‘fled’ on a boda boda, from armed patrol policemen. Police ‘recovered’ only the gun. Let’s retweet daily to remind @igp_ug1 & @PoliceUg to produce the suspect. #ArrestPCBahati
Each of the tweets are accompanied by a photo of Bahati and Julius side by side. Another tweet reads, “We shouldn’t allow such impunity to go unchecked. The police claim they have intelligence about people planning to bomb the city and yet they cannot find their own officer deployed by the force on a mission. How?”
By and large, his tweets are the main attempt at keeping the conversation alive, and to an extent it has. I spoke with Sengoba, who clarified that he has no relationship with Julius and is acting out of civic duty. He questioned how the police found the weapon used, yet allowed their officer to flee without a trace in the presence of other policemen. Sengoba also wondered why the police haven’t taken action against Bahati’s seniors, who should be held accountable for their junior’s actions.
The situation is complicated by the police’s silence on which VIP Bahati was protecting at the time of the incident, leading Sengoba to suggest that the police may not be doing enough to apprehend the suspect – a pattern seen in past cases of police officers committing crimes.
Investigations Stagnate
Twenty-nine days after Julius Ssemwaka’s shooting, the top brass of the Uganda Police Force appeared before the Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee. The committee centred it’s questioning on extrajudicial killings. Betty Nambooze, the Mukono Municipality MP, from where Julius resided, demanded an update on police investigations and steps being taken to apprehend Bahati.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba responded saying, “We are following due process. While this is a serious issue, action must remain within the confines of the law. Rushing investigations could jeopardise justice for both the victim and the accused.” The IGP added, “The media may portray certain narratives, but we rely on facts. A thorough investigation will ensure a defendable and legal outcome.”
A year later, little to no progress has been made. The IGP was right that “rushing investigations” could jeopardise the outcome and justice for all parties involved. However, one wonders when “justice delayed” becomes “justice denied.”
A Pattern of Impunity
On January 16, 2022, a similar incident occurred in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb, except the person shot was a police officer. Like Julius Ssemwaka, Constable Robert Mukebezi was on the road doing his job – directing traffic. He responded to an accident involving a Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF) vehicle, registration number H4DF 1391 and contacted a tow truck to move the vehicle.
While at the scene, he was intercepted by soldiers responding to the same accident in another UPDF vehicle, registration number H4DF 922. An argument ensued about the vehicle’s destination, escalating into Robert being shot in the leg. Unlike Julius, Robert survived: the bullet shattered a major artery, and his leg was later amputated.
A joint statement from UPDF and Police confirmed the incident, identified Robert Mukebezi as the victim, and Corporal Babangida Bashir Mango as the suspected shooter. They condemned the act and stated that the suspect was on the run. They condemned the act stating that the Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS) formerly, Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) together with the Police were working hard to apprehend the suspect who “abandoned” his gun at Bukasa village and is on the run.
Initially, the army covered Robert’s medical bills, citing “UPDF insurance.” However, in May 2022, in a story published by the Daily Monitor, Robert reported that the insurance had been “stopped,” and UPDF officers weren’t responding to his calls. Robert received UGX 1,600,000- less than $500 from the Police, and was asked to account for it before receiving more.
Both Julius and Robert were relatively young, hardworking men providing for their families when shot. They were “nobodies,” highlighting the disparity in justice accessibility in Uganda. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, in his 1968 sermon Shatter Dreams, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice” – though for some, it’s longer and doesn’t always bend towards justice.
Silencing the Story
Attempts to contact the Uganda Police Spokesperson who doubles as the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kituuma Rusoke were in vain. He didn’t respond to repeated calls or a WhatsApp message requesting an interview. I also reached out to Maureen Natungoza, Julius’ widow, who’d initially agreed to an interview. Speaking to me via phone, she stated that the police hadn’t provided the promised support and only covered part of the burial expenses before “disappearing.” She decried the financial struggles she was going through and welcomed attempts at justice.
However, when I called her back in November for the arranged interview, she became unresponsive. On December 11, she seemed surprised by my questions about Julius, saying, “They refused me to talk about those things…” She suggested speaking to Julius’ family – his parents and siblings – but hung up when I asked for contact information. It appears someone is working to silence the story, aiming to keep it “out of sight, out of mind.”
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