Nairobi News

Former Ugandan Minister for Security, General (Rtd) Elly Tumwiine, who died this week while receiving treatment in Nairobi, had in 2020 issued a shoot to kill order in his home country.

Mr Tumwiine was captured saying the police had a right of shooting to kill violent members of the public. The ex-military boss issued the order after Ugandan opposition politician Robert Kyangulanyi aka Bobi Wine, who was then running for president, was arrested.

At the time, the police did not issue a statement on why the politician had been arrested.

“Police officers have a right to kill and shoot you. If you become extremely violent then they can shoot and kill you. Can I repeat? Police have a right to shoot you and you die for nothing,” Mr Tumwiine was captured saying in the video.

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Days after the order was issued, Bobi Wine was arraigned in court and charged with spreading Coronavirus at a campaign rally. He was later released on bail. This led to a continuous protests which led to the death of 28 people in Uganda in just a span of three days.

Human Rights groups also criticized the shoot to kill order, blaming Ugandan authorities of suppressing the opposition ahead of the general elections that took place in January 2021.

Mr Tumwiine’s death was made public by President Yoweri Museveni.

“It is with deep sorrow; I announce the death of General Elly Tumwiine which occurred at 5:46am this morning in Nairobi, from lung cancer,” President Museveni said.