The High Court in Uganda has ordered an inquest into the killing of Yasin Kawuma, the driver to National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, nearly eight years after his death.
Kawuma was fatally shot in August 2018 during a chaotic by-election campaign period in Arua Municipality, an incident that drew widespread condemnation and intensified scrutiny of state security operations at the time.
In a statement released on Tuesday, July 7, NUP Secretary General David Rubongoya confirmed that the court’s directive followed a petition filed in 2019 seeking a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Kawuma’s death.
The judgment, however, was only delivered this week.
“Seven years and 10 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, describing the ruling as a significant step toward accountability.
An inquest is a judicial investigation aimed at establishing the facts surrounding a sudden or violent death, often conducted by a magistrate or coroner. It does not determine criminal liability but can inform further legal action.
Rubongoya noted that the prolonged delay in delivering the ruling underscores systemic challenges in Uganda’s justice system but emphasized the importance of persistence in seeking legal redress.
“Although this matter was filed in 2019, it was not until yesterday that judgment was delivered. This shows the importance of documenting such cases and keeping them on record,” he said, invoking a local proverb meaning “a case does not rot.”
The NUP official also paid tribute to Senior Counsel Ladislaus Rwakafuzi, who initiated the legal process before falling ill, as well as his legal team for sustaining the case over the years.
Kawuma’s killing occurred at the height of political tensions during the Arua by-election, where opposition leaders accused security forces of using excessive force.
The incident remains one of the most cited cases in discussions about political violence in Uganda.
The inquest is expected to shed light on the events leading to Kawuma’s death and could renew calls for accountability among security agencies implicated in the 2018 crackdown.