KAMPALA, Uganda – On Nov. 18 and 19, 2020, Kampala was gripped by one of the darkest chapters in recent Ugandan history. The city erupted in chaos as government security forces cracked down on civilians following protests sparked by the arrest of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known widely as Bobi Wine. Over those two days, more than 100 Ugandans lost their lives in what witnesses describe as a brutal response ordered by President Yoweri Museveni. Among the victims was Kamuyat Nangobi, a 28-year-old mother of four, whose story encapsulates the heartbreak and injustice of those violent days.
A Mother’s Tragic Death
Kamuyat Nangobi was well-known as a food vendor on Kampala Road, delivering meals to workers and passersby every day. She was a dedicated mother, working tirelessly to provide for her four young children. On Nov. 18, she was at her usual post, doing the job that sustained her family. As protests intensified around her, security forces opened fire on the crowds. Kamuyat was struck in the back of her head, killed instantly as she tried to make her way home. Her life was taken in a flash, leaving her children motherless and her family devastated.
BBC REPORT ON NOVEMBER 11
Kamuyat’s story is just one of many, yet no justice has been delivered for her or the countless others who died that day. Since the tragic events of November 2020, families have demanded accountability, but their cries have gone unanswered. To this day, no one has been held responsible, and the families of those killed have received neither acknowledgment nor compensation.
Documented by International Media, Ignored at Home
International media outlets, including the BBC, documented the November 2020 killings with disturbing detail. Eyewitnesses told reporters of indiscriminate shootings by security forces, brutal beatings, and tear gas fired into crowded areas where unarmed civilians were caught in the violence. Videos and photographs captured haunting images of lifeless bodies lying in the streets, as police and military patrolled with guns drawn, silencing anyone who dared to protest.
BBC Africa’s coverage provided a grim reminder of the brutality faced by Ugandans under a regime determined to quash dissent. Reports from the BBC included testimonies from survivors who saw their loved ones gunned down in cold blood, as well as video evidence that contradicted government claims that only “violent rioters” had been targeted. Instead, it showed civilians – including women, elderly people, and children – suffering at the hands of the very forces meant to protect them.
Despite the international coverage, the Ugandan government has consistently downplayed the events, labeling the victims as “criminal elements” or “rebels.” This refusal to acknowledge the victims has left families like Kamuyat’s in anguish, not only from their loss but from the lack of justice or recognition for their suffering.
Calls for International Action
In light of these atrocities, human rights advocates and victims’ families are urgently calling on the international community to intervene. They are appealing to organizations such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch to demand accountability from the Ugandan government. They are also calling on international donors to reconsider financial support for Uganda’s security forces, which have been implicated in human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings.
As Kamuyat Nangobi’s family and other victims’ loved ones continue to seek justice, they remind the world that this is not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern of repression in Uganda. Human rights groups, including the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, have warned that the security situation in Uganda remains volatile, especially for political opponents, journalists, and civilians who dare to speak out.
Justice for Kamuyat Nangobi and Uganda’s Victims
The tragedy of Kamuyat Nangobi’s death is not simply a personal loss but a symbol of the wider struggle for justice and accountability in Uganda. Her children, who now face a life without their mother, are among the hundreds of families left shattered by the events of November 2020. The Ugandan government’s refusal to investigate or acknowledge these killings only deepens the wounds for those left behind.
As human rights advocates intensify their calls, they urge the international community to hold the Ugandan government accountable. They are demanding that international donors end financial support to security forces accused of targeting civilians. #JusticeForKamuyatNangobi #UgandaMassacre #EndFundingOppression #HoldMuseveniAccountable
In the words of a survivor of the November protests, “We cannot bring back those who were killed, but we can seek justice in their memory. We ask the world to stand with us and demand accountability for those responsible.”
This report seeks to honor Kamuyat Nangobi and her fellow victims, ensuring that their deaths are not forgotten and that Uganda’s government is held accountable for its actions. For her family and others who lost loved ones, justice is long overdue.
For more information and to support calls for justice, please refer to reports by BBC Africa and other human rights organizations.