On Tuesday, May 2nd, the Minister of State for Labor in Uganda, Charles Okello Engola, was shot and killed by one of his bodyguards in what appears to have been a private dispute.

The attacker, whose identity has not been revealed, then turned the gun on himself, resulting in his death. The state broadcaster UBC and other sources reported the incident.

Charles Engola, a retired army colonel, served in the government of President Yoweri Museveni as the junior minister in charge of labor.

According to Brigadier Felix Kulayigye, a spokesperson for the army, an “unfortunate incident” resulted in Engola’s death, and the army and police will conduct a joint investigation. Police detectives are currently at the scene.

The shooting took place inside Engola’s home in a Kampala suburb. According to local media reports, there may have been a dispute over the bodyguard’s wages, as witnesses claimed that the soldier was yelling that he had not been paid for a long time despite working for a minister.

However, the motive for the shooting has not been confirmed.

The incident is a tragic reminder of the dangers of being a public figure, particularly in areas where political tensions and security risks are high.

It is not clear whether the bodyguard had any political or ideological motivations for his actions, but the fact that he was able to fire and kill the one person he was meant to protect, underscores the importance of ensuring that security personnel are properly trained and vetted before being assigned to protect high-ranking officials.

The death of Charles Engola is a loss for the Ugandan government and the country as a whole. Engola had a long and distinguished career in the military, and his service as Minister of State for Labor was an important contribution to the country’s development.

The investigation into his death will hopefully shed light on what happened and why, and help prevent similar tragedies in the future