Recent killings of a hotel manager and a security guard in Kampala have intensified concerns regarding a surge in violent crime within urban residential areas and hospitality venues.
Police are investigating the deaths of two employees at Dave Hotel and Suites in Mbubi Zone, who were stabbed to death by unidentified assailants over the weekend. The attackers stole a white Toyota Harrier, registration UBH 633M, from the premises.
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The bodies of Shivani Asasira, 30, the hotel manager, and Lawrence Musinguzi, a security guard, were discovered Saturday evening by the hotel owner. The victims were found in separate locations within the building.
Patrick Lukenge, the LC1 chairperson of Mbubi Zone, said the officer-in-charge of Lungujja Police alerted him to the killings at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday.
I went to the scene and found two people were killed in the hotel, Lukenge said. The security guard was killed in his office while the manager was killed in her bedroom. All bodies were left in a pool of blood.
Lukenge noted the hotel was a relatively new establishment, having been converted from a microfinance training facility three months ago. He added that the site had previously been abandoned and he was unaware it had begun operations.
Forensic detectives confirmed both victims suffered severe stab wounds to the chest, neck and abdomen. Investigators believe the killings occurred simultaneously. One detective noted that Asasira had been undressed, suggesting she may have been gang-raped before being killed. Samples were taken to determine if a sexual assault occurred.
Racheal Kawala, spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Police, said the bodies were moved to Mulago Hospital Mortuary for post-mortem examinations. She stated that investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest the suspects.
Preliminary findings indicate the hotel owner received a call from Asasira at 10 a.m. Feb. 7. She reported that she could not locate Musinguzi and his phones were off. When the owner attempted to return her call at 11:30 a.m., she did not answer. He arrived at the hotel at 3 p.m. to find both employees dead.
The incident highlights a shift in criminal tactics, with perpetrators increasingly using machetes and sharp weapons rather than firearms. In a separate weekend incident in Kira, thugs on motorcycles smashed a car window and stole 25 million shillings. Witnesses said the robbery took less than three minutes.
The 2024 Police Crime Annual Report documented 573 cases of cash robbery, a 4 percent increase from the 551 cases reported in 2023. Kampala Metropolitan Police North registered the highest number of aggravated robberies with 86 cases.
The report also revealed that more than 4,000 homicide cases were recorded nationwide last year, averaging about 12 killings per day. Methods included assault, poisoning, arson and domestic violence, resulting in 4,329 total deaths.
