Participating in mob action, which is wrongly referred to as mob justice, and killing someone is classified as murder under Ugandan law, with convicted individuals potentially facing the death penalty. Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango issued a stern warning, citing Section 189 of Uganda’s Penal Code Act, which prescribes capital punishment for murder convictions. The brutal reality of mob lynchings in Uganda is both shocking and tragic. Few scenes are more horrifying than witnessing an innocent person being dragged, beaten, and killed by an enraged crowd. One such case that captured national attention was the killing of 28-year-old police constable Suleiman Chemonges, who was lynched during a burial in Ibanda. According to a Daily Monitor story titled “How mob attacked, lynched policeman at Ibanda burial,” Chemonges was on duty overseeing the burial of an inmate when mourners; angered by the inmate’s death in prison; suddenly turned on him.
A single attendee incited the crowd, leading to his lynching, despite his desperate pleas and warning shots fired into the air. Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. Mob action has become a disturbingly routine occurrence in Uganda, happening almost daily in both urban and rural areas. Recent cases highlight the extreme brutality of these attacks. In Ntinda, Kampala, a mob lynched a man accused of stealing a boda-boda motorcycle, doused his body in paraffin, and set it ablaze, despite his repeated pleas of innocence. In Buikwe District, a mob accused John Nkoyooyo of highway robbery and buried the young man alive. Even in Kampala City, near a law firm, secretary Agnes Nansubuga has witnessed multiple lynchings outside her office window, describing the area as a “black spot” for the heinous acts.
What is it?
James Ndabidawo, a criminologist at Nyenga Police Station, defines mob action as a violent attack by a crowd on a suspected criminal, often involving clubs, stones, machetes, or even fire. The outcomes are horrifying: victims either die from severe beatings or are burnt alive using tires and fuel. The Uganda Human Rights Commission (2019) has condemned mob action as both a crime and a gross human rights violation, yet it persists, with bystanders sometimes cheering instead of doing something to stop the criminal activity. According to the Uganda Police Force’s 2022 Annual Crime Report, mob killings remain a significant issue, though numbers have slightly declined. A total of 540 mob action killings were recorded in 2022, down from 746 in 2020, marking a 27.6 percent decrease. The majority of victims were accused of theft (283 cases), robbery (113 cases), murder (43 cases), or witchcraft (21 cases). Of those lynched, 525 were male adults, 35 were female adults, and four were male juveniles.
A predictable pattern
The persistence of mob action can be attributed to several factors, as explained by Patrick Onyango. First, there is widespread public ignorance of legal procedures; many assume that an arrest should lead to instant punishment, unaware that cases require witness statements, review by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and court processes. Second, distrust in law enforcement leads some to believe police release suspects due to bribery, rather than lack of evidence. Third, delayed justice due to court backlogs means trials can take years, fuelling frustration and prompting vigilante action. A typical mob attack follows a predictable pattern, as described by Jimmy Makanga, a law enforcement officer. It often begins with a shout of “Thief!”, triggering a frenzied chase. Unemployed youth, traders, and even children often join in, sometimes motivated by past grievances. The mob then beats, burns, or buries victims alive, sometimes within minutes.
Police intervention frequently comes too late, forcing officers to fire warning shots or, in extreme cases, shoot suspects to disperse crowds. The consequences of mob action are devastating. Innocent people die after being wrongly accused, criminals exploit the chaos by blending into the mob, and public trust in the police erodes. Families suffer immensely, especially when victims are breadwinners, leaving dependants in dire poverty. Efforts to combat mob action include police sensitisation programmes to educate communities on legal procedures, faster response teams to rescue suspects before fatal harm, and arrests of mob participants. Those who kill face murder charges, while inciters may be charged with conspiracy to murder. Human rights activist Hillary Walusimbi expressed outrage, asking, “Is this the level mob ‘justice’ has reached in Uganda? It is truly unmatched!” While some, like Edward Mukasa argue that instant punishment deters crime, others, such as teacher Paul Kato, condemn it as barbaric and inhuman. Onyango’s final warning remains clear: “Mob action is murder. If you kill someone, you will be prosecuted, and the penalty could be death.”
Facts You Must Know
It is murder: If you kill someone in a mob action, you could face the death penalty under Uganda’s Penal Code.
Innocent people die: Mob justice thrives on hysteria, rumours, and instant judgment, with little to no verification of facts. Many lynching victims are wrongly accused, with no chance to prove their innocence.
You could be next: Mobs are unpredictable and bloodthirsty—once violence starts, it often turns against bystanders, accusers, or even those who initially joined in. Mob violence often spirals out of control, turning on bystanders or accusers.
Police will hunt you: Law enforcement is increasingly arresting and prosecuting mob participants.
There are better ways: Uganda’s justice system, while slow, provides legal alternatives to street ‘justice.’
Mob action is not justice: It is murder, chaos, and collective guilt. Every lynching destroys lives, weakens the rule of law, and puts you at risk of arrest or retaliation. Uganda has legal avenues for justice—use them instead of violence.
