Kampala woke up yesterday to yet another grim reminder that when alcohol, anger and guns mix, the bill is always paid in blood.
Tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday at Green African Bar and Restaurant—popularly known as Top Pub—on William Street, when a soldier allegedly shot dead an innocent cleaner whose only crime was doing his job too diligently.
The suspect, a soldier identified only as Rodger and now firmly on the run, is accused of killing Emmanuel, a cleaner at the bar, following what witnesses describe as a brief and confusing misunderstanding that had nothing to do with the victim.
If bars handed out awards for bad luck, Emmanuel would have won posthumously.
FROM POOL TABLE TO POLICE TAPE
According to eyewitnesses, the drama unfolded at around 5:00am, when Rodger—described as a regular customer—was drinking, playing pool and enjoying the long Kampala night with colleagues. Somewhere between sinking balls and sinking beers, a disagreement broke out at the pool table.
What the disagreement was about remains unclear. What is clear is that tempers flared, judgment disappeared and tragedy followed shortly after.
“He suddenly stood up, walked away from the pool table and headed to the washrooms looking angry,” an eyewitness recounted.
At almost the same moment, Emmanuel, the bar’s cleaner, also headed toward the washrooms—doing what cleaners do best: cleaning after every visitor.
“He was not part of the quarrel at all,” the witness said. “He simply followed to do his routine work.”
Moments later, a loud bang echoed from the washrooms, instantly turning a chilled bar into a scene of chaos. Patrons screamed, some sprinted for exits, and staff rushed toward the source of the noise—only to find Emmanuel lying lifeless on the floor.
The party was officially over.
SOLDIER VANISHES, QUESTIONS REMAIN
Police were alerted immediately and sealed off the premises as stunned patrons stood outside replaying the horror in disbelief. Shortly after police arrival, a military truck was also seen at the scene, fueling early speculation that the suspect had been arrested.
However, the Special Forces Command (SFC) quickly poured cold water on those reports.
Maj. Jimmy Omara, the SFC public information officer, confirmed that a soldier was involved but said the shooter was still at large.
“Our efforts to trace his whereabouts are ongoing,” Omara said, adding that preliminary findings suggest the incident may have been triggered by a relationship dispute—another reminder that love triangles and alcohol are a dangerous combination.
Kampala Central Deputy Resident City Commissioner Shafik Nsubuga condemned the killing, noting that the suspect had reportedly started drinking early Monday evening and was heavily intoxicated by the time bullets replaced words.
“No one has the right to take another person’s life,” Nsubuga said.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said a murder case has been registered and investigations are ongoing. CCTV footage is being reviewed, witnesses recorded statements, and Emmanuel’s body was taken to the city mortuary for post-mortem examination.
A BAR WITH A BLOODY HISTORY
For Top Pub, this was not its first brush with violence—and sadly, it may not surprise many Kampala residents.
In January 2021, a bouncer at the same establishment, Johnson Rukundo, was shot dead, while several others were injured following a quarrel reportedly over a woman believed to be a commercial sex worker.
Even earlier, a soldier, Pte Julius Mucunguzi, opened fire at the same bar, killing eight people after allegedly losing his phone and money to a prostitute before turning the gun on himself.
With such a history, some locals now whisper that Top Pub should consider adding police tape to its décor.
BETWEEN THE LINES
Police say investigations are ongoing and they are working closely with the military to hunt down the suspect. Meanwhile, one family mourns a man who went to work and never returned—killed not by a fight, but by being in the wrong place at the worst possible time.
In Kampala’s nightlife, it seems, even cleaning the bathroom can be a deadly assignment.
