Female Food Vendor Shot by Security Operatives For Flouting Coronavirus Curfew Dies (photos)

A 35-year-old food vendor from Jinja Central market in Uganda, who was allegedly shot by a police officer on patrol vehicle for defying an all-night curfew has succumbed to the gunshot wounds.

Evelyn Namulondo died on Friday morning, May 15, at Jinja regional referral hospital where she was admitted in the emergence ward on Wednesday morning. A doctor at Jinja hospital said on condition of anonymity that Namulondo died because of multiple organ failure.

“We did our best and cleaned her intestines but discovered that the bullet was stuck in the liver, leaving it shattered which endangered other essential body organs,” he said.

A night curfew imposed by President Yoweri Museveni to curb the spread of coronavirus runs from 7 pm to 6.30 am. Namulondo was heading to Amber Court market from her home in Budhumbuli Ward at around 5 am to purchase fruits on Wednesday morning when she was shot in the abdomen.

Narrating what had happened before she died, Namulondo said that she was travelling with another passenger on a motorcycle when police intercepted them along Kyabazinga Way, but the motorist declined to stop, prompting the officers to open fire.

“We begged the bodaboda man to stop but he refused, which I think angered the policemen to shoot at us. I fell after sustaining injuries. The motorist sped off with the other passenger and all I recall is that the police officers dumped me here [hospital],” she said.

The deceased’s sister, Agatha Musekwa, says her sister didn’t get the required medical attention after being shot, and this led to her death.

Kiira Region police spokesperson, Abby Ngako, says detectives are yet to ascertain the deceased’s true shooters as their preliminary investigations have confirmed that none of their own was responsible for the shooting.

He, however, declined to divulge further details, saying they are liaising with other sister agencies to find the deceased’s killers.

The deceased will be laid to rest in Kasaitaka village in Bugiri district.