Gunman who killed ex-Vision Group journalist took only his phone

Kampala, Uganda | URN | The gunman who shot dead veteran Vision Group journalist Joe Nam left behind everything else, taking only his phone, in what residents now suspect was a targeted killing. Nam, 55, was killed on Sunday at his home in Kawanda Central Zone, Nabweru Division, Wakiso District. Residents say the unusual nature of the attack has raised more questions than answers, after the phone emerged as the only item taken from the scene.

“He was a born-again Christian. I’m told he often went outside to pray. I’m not sure if they found him praying or pulled him from the house, but they only took his phone, nothing else. This wasn’t a typical robbery. It’s the kind of attack where people are targeted and killed with guns. We’re used to housebreakings here, but we’ve never seen anything like this,” George Sserunkuma, a neighbor and representative of elders at Kawanda Central Zone local council, said.

According to Sserunkuma, the shooting happened at around 1:00 a.m., although residents initially mistook the gunshots for noise from football fans watching a late-night match. “It is about five houses from my home. We heard dogs barking loudly, and shortly after, we heard gunshots, which we mistook for noise from people watching football. We went to sleep, only to wake up in the morning and find the police there and our neighbor killed,” Sserunkuma said.

He added that the community had last seen Nam alive just hours before the attack during their routine exercises. “We’ve been working out together for the past five years as old people. We started during COVID-19. On Saturday, we worked out, and he went back home. Shockingly, that was our last meeting. We usually called him Uncle,” Sserunkuma stated.

Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said homicide teams from Kampala Metropolitan North have visited and documented the scene, as investigations into the killing continue. Residents said a police K9 unit was deployed in the morning to track the attackers’ scent before the body was taken to the City Mortuary in Mulago, but the search did not yield results.

Nam, who had lived in Kawanda for about 10 years, was a renowned journalist who covered business, politics, and the environment. He also authored the book titled The Day Museveni Goes: Reflections- Questions-Fears-Hope, and has been working as a consultant since leaving active journalism.

According to the 2025 crime report, police recorded 190 cases of murder by shooting, compared to 188 cases in 2024, representing a 1.1 percent increase. Kabong District recorded the highest number of murders, followed by Nakapiripirit and Agago districts