By Robert Segawa
Police in Old Kampala have launched a manhunt for an unidentified suspect who fled after abandoning luggage containing an AK-47 rifle.
The incident occurred on the evening of April 14, 2026, at Tausi Bus Terminal in Bukesa Parish, Kampala Central Division.
According to reports, at around 5:00 p.m., a bus conductor loading passengers onto a bus bound for Mbarara was approached by a man who requested to have his luggage transported. As part of routine security checks, the conductor asked the man to open the bag for inspection, but he declined.
Racheal Kawala, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, said the refusal raised suspicion, prompting the conductor to physically inspect the luggage. During the check, he felt an object resembling a firearm and immediately alerted authorities.
A police task team quickly responded to the scene. Upon inspection, officers recovered an AK-47 rifle with an empty magazine and no ammunition. The weapon had been concealed in a white polythene bag, which was further packed inside a larger bag locally known as an “usofia.”
Kawala confirmed that the suspect fled the scene and remains at large.
“We shall use CCTV footage at the Tausi Bus Terminal to establish who delivered the luggage and support the ongoing hunt,” she said.
The Flying Squad, together with other security agencies, has since launched a joint operation to identify and apprehend the suspect as investigations continue.
