Mukono — A senior Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement official is at the centre of a public storm after viral videos emerged showing a violent roadside confrontation involving customs officers, military personnel, and a female driver along the Katosi–Mukono corridor.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on April 30, 2026, has sparked widespread debate after clips circulated on social media appearing to show URA enforcement teams intercepting a vehicle suspected of involvement in smuggling activities.
In the footage, URA Customs Enforcement head Godson Mwesigye is alleged to have been present during the confrontation, which ended at a fuel station after what witnesses described as a high-speed chase. Some videos show armed Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JAT) personnel at the scene, while audio recordings capture bystanders pleading for restraint.
One post shared on X by user @SuunaKing_James claimed: “A video has surfaced of @URAuganda commissioner Godson Mwesigye brutalizing a civilian and ordering his military guards to shoot a civilian in Mukono.”
Another user, @KamogaMunawa, wrote: “I saw the URA boss and JAT commandos doing this to a civilian in Mukono.”
The allegations have not been independently verified, and authorities have not confirmed claims of gunfire or injuries in the incident.
URA Responds
URA spokesperson Robert Kalumba dismissed several of the circulating claims, insisting the operation was part of routine anti-smuggling enforcement activities in a known illegal trade corridor.
“Facts; No URA staff is on the run as has earlier been reported. No police case has been opened. No attempted murder or murder has occurred,” Kalumba said in a statement posted on X.
He added that the agency had launched an internal investigation into the matter, while maintaining that the enforcement team was conducting a lawful operation.
“A car chase involving our enforcement team occurred along the Katosi/Mukono road, a known area for smuggling,” he said.
Competing Accounts and Public Outcry
Despite the URA’s clarification, other online posts continue to allege that shots were fired during the incident and that at least one person was injured. Some users have called for independent investigations into the conduct of security personnel involved.
One widely shared post claimed: “This is video evidence from someone who was right there at the scene… police have now opened an attempted murder case.”
However, authorities have not publicly confirmed any such case as of Sunday morning.
The incident has triggered strong reactions across social media, with critics accusing enforcement agencies of excessive force, while others defend the operation as part of ongoing efforts to combat smuggling in the region.
Investigation Ongoing
URA says its internal probe is underway, and further details will be released once facts are established. Police have not yet issued an official statement on whether a criminal investigation has been opened.
As competing narratives continue to circulate online, the Mukono incident has become a flashpoint in broader debates about law enforcement conduct, accountability, and the use of force in anti-smuggling operations along Uganda’s major transport corridors.
