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Pastor Bugingo sacks personal security chief as army, police take over
Pastor Aloysius Bugingo (centre) chats with police’s Apollo Kabandizi (2nd left) from the Directorate of Political Commissariat in Nakedde Village, Namayumba Sub-county in Wakiso District on January 4, 2024. PHOTO | MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- Pastor Bugingo reportedly escaped death last Tuesday night when unknown assailants allegedly ambushed his vehicle at Bwalakata Junction, off National Housing Road in Kasubi, Rubaga Division.
- Last Sunday, Pastor Bugingo preached at his Makerere-based HPMI church amidst heavy police and army presence.
House of Prayer Ministries International leader, Pastor Aloysius Bugingo has sacked the head of his security team one week after he allegedly survived an assassination attempt that left his bodyguard dead.
In a January 5 letter addressed to the director ECCOZ Security Company, Mr Simon Peter Watch Kaswabuli, Mr Bugingo said the police had taken over his security affairs following the January 2 evening attack by unknown gunmen in Namungoona, Rubaga Division in Kampala.
Mr Kaswabuli is also deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC) of Mbarara District and is believed to have been a long-time acquaintance of the pastor.
“We regrettably terminate our contractual relationship with ECCOZ Security Company with immediate effect, as the services of the Uganda Police Force take precedence,” reads the letter that was confirmed by the deputy RCC of Rubaga, Mr Anderson Burora, who was copied in.
“On the matter of your headship of security at HPMI, there is a need to have a permanent person to coordinate with the police. As you are aware, your other duties may not permit you to be with us on a full-time basis. Therefore, you are being replaced as head of security at HPMI for this reason,” it adds.
He promised to settle any outstanding financial or other obligations with Mr Kaswabuli in due course.
Pastor Bugingo reportedly escaped death last Tuesday night when unknown assailants allegedly ambushed his vehicle at Bwalakata Junction, off National Housing Road in Kasubi, Rubaga Division. His bodyguard, Cpl Richard Muhumuza attached to the elite Special Forces Command (SFC) was reportedly killed in the attack that left the car riddled with bullets and the pastor nursing injuries.
It is upon this reported attack that Pastor Bugingo informed Mr Kaswabuli in the letter that he sought security protection from the police.
“For easy coordination, we have been advised that maintaining synonymous services from both the Uganda Police Force and private security firms, including ECCOZ Security Company, is not feasible,” he said.
The letter, a copy of which was seen by this publication, was copied to the Inspector General of Police, Director General of Internal Security Organisation, the Chief of Military Intelligence, Office of the President, Director Crime Intelligence Uganda Police, Director Operations Uganda Police, Deputy RCC of Rubaga and his Kawempe counterpart.
Last Sunday, Pastor Bugingo preached at his Makerere-based HPMI church amidst heavy police and army presence.
It was during this prayer service that the commander of the army’s operations in Kampala Metropolitan Area, Col Fred Mwesigye informed the congregation that they had taken over security.
“We are in charge of security at the church here, at the pastor’s residence (Namayumba, Wakiso District) and Salt TV offices in Rubaga,” he said, promising that, “We shall do our best to ensure security for the church.”
This publication has also seen another January 4 letter in which Pastor Bugingo wrote to Inspector General of Police, Mr John Martins Okoth-Ochola seeking police protection.
“I wish to inform you of a botched assassination attempt on my life on the night of Tuesday, January 2, 2024 during which incident my brother and comrade; Corporal Richard Muhumuza was gunned down. Because I cannot know the intentions of the assassins and what their future plans are, I hereby request for sustained police protection both at the House of Prayer Ministries offices at Makerere Kikoni and Salt Media head office at Rubaga, Lungujja in Kampala,” he wrote.
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In the same letter, he informed the police chief that he cannot abandon his evangelism work and yet the church hosts thousands of believers, “who access our premises for spiritual support every day”.
Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson, SSP Patrick Onyango on Monday night said Pastor Bugingo’s security arrangements had been changed.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Kaswabuli were futile by press time as his known phone numbers were switched off.
