Rubanda, Uganda – The State Minister for Mineral Development, Hon. Phiona Nyamutooro, survived an assassination attempt on June 20, 2024, while on a fact-finding mission in Rubanda district.
The minister, accompanied by a technical team from the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines, had visited the area to inspect an illegal mining site at Butare Katoojo in Muko sub-county. The Minister had received a complaint from the directors of STEAM that their exploration license had been trespassed on by unknown people who were mining illegally without a license, allegedly working for John Muluri Muyambi and the National Cement Company.
As the minister and her team arrived at the site, they were met with resistance from five private security guards from Wolves Security Company. The guards on duty, armed with rifles, refused to allow the minister and her team to access the site, prompting the police teams to forcefully interven.
After inspection, the same security guards blocked the convoy and cocked their guns, threatening to shoot.They were five in number and armed with three rifles (SSMGs).
“We received a distress call from the minister’s team and immediately dispatched a team to the scene,” said Regional Police Spokesperson Elly Maate
The spokesperson however, noted that their officers managed to disarm the security guards including arresting them. “The minister and her team were unharmed and continued with their scheduled duties.”
Maate added, “We take the safety of our leaders and citizens seriously, and we will not tolerate any acts of violence or intimidation.The security guards have been charged accordingly, and we are investigating the incident further.”
