Amuria — One person was shot dead, and at least five others were injured after Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers opened fire on civilians celebrating at a trading centre in Amuria District on January 1, 2026, authorities have confirmed.
The shooting occurred at around 9 pm in a small trading centre in Orungo County, eastern Uganda, amid heightened political tensions ahead of the January 15 general elections.
The Amuria Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Paul Eseru, told journalists that the soldiers fired on civilians who were gathered peacefully.
“There are soldiers who came here and found people having a celebration, and from nowhere, they started shooting at the people,” Eseru said.
One civilian, Saidi Eteru, was shot dead during the incident. At least five others sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to Amuria Hospital for treatment, according to local officials.
Political tensions ahead of polls
The gathering reportedly involved supporters of Foreign Affairs Minister Gen. Jeje Odongo and those backing his political rival, Teddy Anyuk Osire, the ruling NRM parliamentary flag bearer for the area. The incident has intensified concerns over political violence and the role of security forces during the campaign period.
Eseru described the shooting as “a very unfortunate incident” and said the deceased’s body had been taken to the mortuary as investigations began.
“Because the UPDF is involved, we are working with other security agencies to establish exactly what happened,” he said, adding that the soldiers were still deployed in the area at the time of his briefing.
Silence from UPDF, minister
As of January 2, 2026, neither the UPDF nor Gen. Jeje Odongo had issued an official statement regarding the incident.
The shooting has sparked public concern and renewed scrutiny over the deployment of armed soldiers in politically charged environments, particularly during civilian gatherings.
Local leaders and civil society groups have called for a thorough and transparent investigation, warning that excessive use of force by security personnel could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The incident remains under investigation as security agencies work to establish accountability and prevent further violence in the lead-up to polling day.
