Police in Kampala are investigating two separate fatal stabbing incidents that claimed two lives over the weekend, including that of an 18-year-old street hawker who was allegedly stabbed while fleeing a Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) enforcement operation in the city centre.
The latest incident occurred at the BMK Building in Kampala’s Central Business District, where the hawker reportedly ran into the arcade to evade a KCCA operation targeting street vendors. Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire identified the suspect as Ian Mugisha, a security guard attached to Security 2000, who is being held at Central Police Station on allegations of murder.
According to police, the confrontation began after the security guard reportedly ordered the hawker to leave the building. The altercation turned violent when the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim in the chest. The hawker collapsed and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police recovered the suspected murder weapon, while the body was taken to Mulago City Mortuary for a post-mortem examination. The victim’s identity had not been officially confirmed by police at the time of filing this report.
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Ismail Mubiru, Chairperson of the Fubatukole Hawkers and Vendors Association, identified the deceased as an 18-year-old Congolese refugee who had earned a living through street vending from childhood and was the sole breadwinner for his family. Mubiru alleged that the teenager had sought refuge inside the building while fleeing KCCA enforcement officers before the confrontation with the security guard.
He further alleged that KCCA enforcement teams routinely harass and extort street vendors, claiming some officers collect money from arrested vendors and continue pursuing them even after they have been removed from the streets. Mubiru also said two women were injured after falling into a drainage channel along Nabugabo Road while fleeing the same enforcement operation.
He called on the government to review the enforcement operations and address what he described as persistent harassment of vendors. KCCA spokesperson Daniel Nuwabine had not responded to requests for comment by the time of publishing this story. However, KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki has consistently maintained that street vending remains prohibited within Kampala’s Central Business District because it contributes to congestion, poor sanitation and public safety risks.
She has urged vendors to relocate to gazetted public and private markets. In a separate incident, police are also investigating the fatal stabbing of 53-year-old Bob Kalyango in Kibuli. According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala, the altercation reportedly started after Kalyango objected to the suspect smoking near him. Police allege the suspect, identified as Farida Nakakande, 38, picked a knife from her room and stabbed him in the right rib.
Nakakande, a resident of Bwire Zone, is being held at Katwe Police Division as investigations continue. According to the Uganda Police Force’s 2025 Annual Crime Report, 292 people were killed through stabbing incidents last year, the highest number recorded in the past four years. The figure compares with 268 cases in 2024, 257 in 2023 and 221 in 2022-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
