Ugandan minister wounded, daughter, driver killed in assassination bid

Daughter of Katumba Wamala, Uganda's Minister of Works and transport was killed in an alleged "targeted drive-by shooting" which left the former top general wounded.

The driver of the Minister has also been killed in the attack targeting the general outside his home in Kampala on Tuesday.

Four attackers riding on two motorcycles with concealed number plates followed Wamala from his home in the capital, Kampala, for 4 km (2.5 miles) before they sprayed his vehicle with bullets shortly before 9 am (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday, a police statement said, reported Al Jazeera.

The CNN reported that the general, his 26-year-old daughter Brenda Nantogo, his bodyguard and his driver Haruna Kayondo were traveling in a military registered car when the attack unfolded, the police said.

His daughter and the driver were killed in the attack, while Katumba Wamala was hospitalised after sustaining gunfire injuries. The bodyguard was not hurt, the police said.

Police described the attack as a "targeted drive-by shooting," saying the gunmen trailed the vehicle as it left Katumba Wamala's home.

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni said in a tweet that he has spoken to Katumba Wamala twice on the phone and that he was being well taken care of.

He said the authorities already "have clues to the killers in General Katumba's shooting."

Katumba Wamala served as the Inspector General of Police of the Uganda Police Force from 2001 until 2005, being the first active Uganda People's Defence Force soldier to serve as the head of the force.

His military carrier dates back to 1984 when he was a Second Lieutenant in the Uganda National Liberation Army that was eventually defeated by the National Resistance Army led by Museveni.

( With inputs from ANI )

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor