Danis Bukenya completed his studies at Makerere University and was doing everything right. He had graduated. He was job hunting. While he waited, his parents — Jackson Musisi Yiga and Lydia Namutebi — set him up with two shops and a mobile money service in Nansana so he could stay productive and earn while the employment search ran its course.
On the night he was killed, he was 30 years old. Unknown assailants hacked him to death with sharp objects inside his home in Nansana West IA, Nansana Municipality, then set the house on fire — apparently to destroy evidence and cover their tracks.
Neighbours discovered him when smoke began billowing from the house in the middle of the night.
“We saw smoke coming from the house and rushed to help. When we entered, we found him lying down with deep cuts on his head. We dragged him outside, but he was already dead,” one resident recounted.
By the time they got to him, it was too late.Nansana West Ward local defence secretary Franka Ssendyowa said Bukenya operated two shops and offered mobile money services — a combination that would have meant regular cash on the premises, visible income, and the kind of predictable financial activity that makes someone a target.
“He was a disciplined young man who had no known conflicts with anyone. He operated two shops and also offered mobile money services. We suspect the attackers could have been targeting money,” Ssendyowa said.
There were no known personal disputes. No enemies that residents or local leaders were aware of. The prevailing theory is robbery — someone who knew what Bukenya’s business held, when he was alone, and how to get to him.The grief of Bukenya’s parents carries a specific kind of weight. They did not just lose a son. They lost a son they had deliberately invested in — financially and emotionally — at the most vulnerable stage of his post-university life.
“We invested in a business for him after he completed his studies so that he could remain productive while looking for employment. We never imagined that his life would end this way,” they said.
That investment — two shops, a mobile money operation, a young man with a degree and a plan — is what his killers walked into and turned into a crime scene.Local leaders described Bukenya as well-known and well-liked — someone whose character and work ethic were not in question.
“This is a cruel and senseless act. We have lost a peaceful and hardworking young man. We urge residents to strengthen security around their homes and businesses, especially at night,” said Fred Ndagga, Chairperson of Nansana West IA.
LC II Chairperson George Mukibi urged residents to work closely with security agencies and report suspicious individuals. The fear in the community is real — if a young man running two visible businesses with no known enemies can be targeted this violently, anyone operating a small enterprise in the area has reason to be concerned.Police deployed a sniffer dog to assist with the investigation. However, officers believe the large crowd that gathered while attempting to extinguish the fire may have compromised potential evidence at the scene.
Bukenya’s body was transported to Mulago National Referral Hospital for a postmortem examination. Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed investigations are underway.
“We are actively investigating this murder and searching for those responsible. Anyone with information that may help us identify or arrest the suspects should report to the nearest police station,” Owoyesigyire said.
No arrests had been made at the time of publishing.
