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KAMPALA – The Uganda Police Force has issued an urgent, impassioned plea calling upon all citizens to renounce and stop the brutal acts of mob killings that undermine the rule of law in the country.
The development follows a wave of sorrow in Uganda’s sporting community after the brutal mob killing of rugby player Sidney Gongondyo, a death that has become a devastating symbol of the nation’s growing mob justice crisis.
The deceased, Gongondyo, 27, a resident of Busibanti Zone, Najjera, in Wakiso District, was murdered in a tragic incident that unfolded on June 5, 2026, at about 2:00 p.m. in the Nakawa Division of Kampala City.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing in Kampala, police spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke said initial investigations indicate Gongondyo was severely assaulted by boda boda riders and other members of the public on suspicion of theft.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the victim was allegedly attacked and severely assaulted by a group of boda boda riders and other members of the public on suspicion of theft,” stated Kituuma.
Kituuma confirmed that the officers who responded to the scene promptly to distress calls found him critically injured but still alive, rushing him to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The Uganda Police Force has strongly condemned all acts of mob justice, urging citizens to refrain from vigilantism and to hand over any suspect to the nearest police station without causing harm.
“We strongly condemn all acts of mob justice. Such actions are unlawful, undermine the rule of law, and often result in the loss of innocent lives. We urge citizens to refrain from vigilantism and to hand over any suspect to the nearest police station without causing harm,” Kituuma added.
Police statistics reveal the scale of the crisis, with 950 murders by mob action registered in 2025 alone out of 4,238 total homicides, representing a staggering 22.4 percent of all homicide cases reported that year.
Police have repeatedly warned the public against mob justice on multiple occasions, including official statements on August 19, 2024, and November 5, 2024. Yet incidents continue to occur despite several warnings.
The December 5, 2024, murder of Jacob Akankwasa, a Kyambogo University employee killed by a mob near the Catholic Shrine in Namugongo, stands as a grim reminder of the persistent danger of mob justice.
Following the death of the rugby star, three suspects have been tracked and arrested, with the police confirming that investigations into the case are ongoing. Further updates will be provided.
, https://eastafricanwatch.net/uganda-police-warns-against-mob-justice-as-rugby-players-death-highlights-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=uganda-police-warns-against-mob-justice-as-rugby-players-death-highlights-crisis
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