State Minister for Energy and Mineral Development Phiona Nyamutoro has survived being shot by security guards.
Police have arrested the private security guards that had attempted to shoot at the junior minister.
The security guards belonged to National Cement Company, a subsidiary of the Devki Group.
Minister Nyamutoro was conducting a routine check as her ministry, whose senior minister is Ruth Nankabirwa, sought to crack down on illegal mining activities in the south western Ugandan district of Kisoro.
Police disarmed the private security guards and rebuked them, asking them where they had trained from where they were never taught to respect ‘big’ people and properly use their guns.
Minister Nyamutoro accused the security guards’ bosses for giving them orders to “shoot us.” Police assured the minister that they will be dealt with and that such ‘impunity’ would not be tolerated.
Wondering at the private security guards’ ‘guts’ and ‘audacity’ of wanting to shoot her even when she was well guarded, Minister Nyamutoro said the attempt was “laughable.”
The youthful minister has only been in office for a few months. President Yoweri Museveni appointed her in March and has the attention of the head of state. (See Details Here).
Last year, a bodyguard shot and killed a minister. (Read Stories Here and There).
