Tuesday 1st June 2021 will always be a dark day in the family of the outgoing Minister of Works and Transport General Edward Katumba Wamala since it’s the time they lost their lovely daughter Brenda Nantongo Katumba in a brutal assassination.
As a normal day, the deceased boarded a car with her father, the bodyguard, and the driver Haruna Kayondo to head To Najjanankumbi to attend vigil a of her grandmother.
Unfortunately, along the way at Kasota road in Kisaasi , the assailants attacked Gen Katumba and sprayed bullets at his car.In the course of event, Brenda and Kayondo lost their lives whereas Gen Katumba survived with bullet injuries.
The former army chief was a few minutes rushed to hospital for medical attention.
On Wednesday he left Medipal hospital to attend his daughter’s funeral service at his home in Najjera where he and the wife Catherine Katumba narrated the last happy moments of their daughter.
Speaking in a sombre mood at their, Mrs Katumba said that her daughter was the source of joy in their family.
“She has always been telling me that she wants to learn boxing. At first, I wondered why she liked boxing and I cautioned her that they might injure her but she insisted. On 3rd this month she and the father had arranged to go to Bwindi for Gorilla trekking but I refused because I fear gorillas. She insisted that she will go with the father however her daddy cancelled the journey. Little did she know that God was preparing her to meet her death, my daughter has not lived to see the good things she yearned for. She loved cooking and she was a very punctual person.”
On his part, Gen Katumba thank God for the grace He has given his wife and the entire family to see them through such difficult moments.
“As usual at around 8:00 am we got into the car heading for burial arrangements of my mother-in-law, however as we approached Kisoto route, the first bullet was fired. At first, we thought that it was a bodaboda that had collided with us, however, within a few minutes lots of bullets were fired, unfortunately, the shooters wherein Brenda’s side (driver’s side). After realising that they were bullets I took cover down the seat. Immediately I had Brenda saying Jesus and eventually she fell on me, there I knew she was hit.”
He added that he immediately opened the car door and rolled from the car and fall down.
“I fell down and my hand had been shot and then I told my escort Khalid, they are killing us, get out of the car and shoot at them too,’ he got out and started shooting at them. Then we realized that they were in front, I rolled and went back and took cover again. Khalid with the gun fired back which helped us becuse they were coming back to finish the mission.”
“Khalid picked me and we run behind some houses where he hid me and came back to fight against the bad guys. By that I was too worried because I was bleeding too much, later a bodaboda man came and pleaded to take me to the hospital but at the same time, I had a doubt. But these boda people insisted. I want to thank God but at the same time I want Him to forgive me because at the tough moment I asked myself me? Katumba I love people why has this happened to me? May God forgive me because the bad people are there and even though those who love me are there. May God forgive me for having that doubt that loves people but they have not loved back.”
Nantongo has been laid to rest today in Kikandwa, Mukono District.
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