Bukwo Shooting: Police Say Man Confronted Officers With Panga, Stones

What the report says

Police in Uganda’s Bukwo District say a man was shot dead during an arrest operation after allegedly confronting officers with a panga and stones. The account, attributed to police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, says the incident took place on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at around 1pm in Chemusebe Village, Kapchemoken Parish, Brim Sub-County.

According to the police version, officers from Giriki Police Station in neighbouring Kween District had gone to Bukwo to arrest a suspect after coordinating with colleagues at Riwo Sub-County Police Station. Police said the suspect fled when officers found him near Chemusebe Trading Centre, and tensions rose when relatives and local leaders disputed the impounding of a motorcycle. Investigators say a man identified as Mutakan then approached officers armed with a panga and stones, struck one officer with a stone and kept advancing despite efforts by bystanders, including his mother, to restrain him.

Police said warning shots were fired before the man was shot and later pronounced dead at Bukwo General Hospital. Four people, including the officers involved, are being questioned as investigators examine whether the use of force was lawful, necessary and proportionate. The case highlights recurring concerns in Uganda over violent encounters during police operations and the risks to both officers and civilians when arrests turn confrontational.