A long-standing case linked to Uganda’s opposition politics has been revived after the High Court ordered an inquest into the 2018 killing of Yasin Kawuma.
Kawuma, who was the driver of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, was shot dead during the Arua Municipality by-election campaigns, an incident that drew widespread condemnation and intensified political tensions at the time.
The order follows a petition filed in 2019, with the ruling only delivered this week, nearly eight years after the fatal shooting.
National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General David Rubongoya welcomed the development, terming it a critical step toward establishing the truth.
“Seven years and ten months after he was brutally shot dead in Arua, the High Court has finally ordered an inquest into the death of Yasin Kawuma,” Rubongoya said.
He added that despite the delay, the ruling reinforces the need for persistence in pursuing justice through legal channels.
“Although this matter was filed in 2019, it was not until yesterday that judgment was delivered. This goes to show the importance of always documenting and filing these cases and keeping them on record,” he stated.
Rubongoya further invoked a local proverb to stress his point: “As the saying goes, omusango teguvunda — a case doesn’t rot. Eventually, such cases get revisited.”
An inquest is a judicial inquiry aimed at establishing the facts surrounding a sudden or violent death. While it does not determine criminal liability, its findings can inform future legal action.
Kawuma’s death occurred at the height of political unrest in Arua, with opposition figures at the time accusing security agencies of using excessive force.
Government authorities denied the allegations, and no conclusive findings had been made prior to the latest court order.
Rubongoya also paid tribute to Senior Counsel Ladislaus Rwakafuzi, who initiated the case before falling ill.
“Special tribute to Senior Counsel Ladislaus Rwakafuzi who filed this matter before he became indisposed, and his assistants who continued to follow it up,” he said.