The victim, Charles Engola, served in the government of President Yoweri Museveni as the junior minister in charge of labour.

The attacker then turned the gun on himself, according to state broadcaster UBC and other sources.

The shooting occurred inside the home of the late Minister, General David Muhoozi Engola, in a Kampala suburb. Detectives from the police force are now investigating the scene of the crime.

While the motive for the attack has not been immediately confirmed, local media reports suggest that it may have arisen due to a private dispute between the Minister and his bodyguard over unpaid wages.

“Witnesses claim that the soldier was yelling that he had not been paid for a long time despite working for a minister,” the online newspaper NilePost reported.

The incident highlights the dangers of gun violence in Uganda, where high-profile officials have been targeted in previous attacks. In 2021, a former army chief was wounded, and his daughter was killed when gunmen shot at their vehicle in the capital.

The killing of Minister Engola is a tragedy for Uganda, and the country’s government has expressed condolences to the Minister’s family and friends.

Engola was shot dead on Tuesday morning.