Amnesty International Demands Investigation of Murder of Bobi Wine’s Driver

Amnesty International has issued the following statement demanding a full and proper investigation into the death of Yasin Kawuma:

Responding to Ugandan police claims that the driver of an opposition politician was killed by a “stray bullet” on the evening of 13 August following a political rally, Amnesty International’s Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, Joan Nyanyuki, said:

“The Ugandan authorities must immediately launch a thorough, independent and impartial investigation, including appropriate forensic investigations, into how Yasin Kawuma was killed with a shot to his head while he was driving an opposition member of parliament. There must be accountability for this tragic death.

“The authorities must also ensure that police do not use excessive force when policing public rallies. The unlawful use of firearms in public gatherings, including political campaign rallies, should be properly investigated and stopped.”

Yasin Kawuma was a driver for opposition member of parliament, Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine.

The Ugandan police said Yasin Kawuma was killed by a “stray bullet” as police officers tried to control clashes between supporters of another opposition politician and a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in northern Uganda on the evening of 13 August 2018.

The incident happened on the last day of campaigning ahead of the Arua municipality parliamentary by-election scheduled for 15 August 2018.

Read the full statement from Amnesty here.