Ugandan Labour Minister Killed By his Guard
The Ugandan State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Col (rtd) Charles Okello Engola, was fatally shot by his own bodyguard on Tuesday morning, May 2, at his residence in Kyanja, a suburb of Kampala.
The bodyguard, Pte Wilson Sabiiti, also took his own life with the same gun after shooting the minister several times at close range.
He reportedly ran to a nearby salon and committed suicide there.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga confirmed the incident and said investigations were underway to establish the motive behind the killing.
The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among also announced the tragic news to the plenary session on Tuesday morning and expressed her condolences to the family and friends of the minister.
Engola, 64, was a retired colonel in the Uganda People’s Defence Force and had served as the commander of UPDF 501 Brigade that fought against the Lord’s Resistance Army.
He was also a long-serving Local Council 5 Chairperson for Oyam District and a Member of Parliament for Oyam North County.
He had been appointed as the State Minister for Defence in 2016 and retained his portfolio until 2019 when he was moved to the Labour Ministry.
An eyewitness claimed that the bodyguard had complained of not being paid Ush4 million and had a pregnant wife and children who were not going to school.
Engola was born on October 12, 1958 in Iceme, Oyam District. He was the son of Chief Nasan Engola and Ketula Engola and the grandson of Rwot Olong Adilo of Iceme.
He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Kampala International University.
