A chilling wave of violence by private security guards against their employers has once again rocked Uganda, with the brutal murder of businessman Anthony Mutinisa, owner of Mutinisa Motors Uganda, sending shockwaves across the country.
Mutinisa, a well-known luxury car dealer specializing in Toyota Land Cruisers and other high-end vehicles, was fatally shot on Sunday, August 24, 2025, in a betrayal that underscores a disturbing trend in the security industry.
The Murder and Arrest in Kanungu
Police investigations reveal that the prime suspect, Hillary Byaruhanga, a 28-year-old guard attached to Don World Security Limited, turned his gun on Mutinisa in Ntinda, Kampala. Instead of protecting the businessman, Byaruhanga shot him dead before fleeing with a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 (UA 769 BQ) and an undisclosed sum of money.
After a tense manhunt, the guard was tracked down and arrested in Katwe Cell, Kihihi Town Council, Kanungu District. Police also recovered the stolen Land Cruiser and cash. An accomplice, Mark Akampa, was arrested alongside him, with investigators probing his role in the murder and escape plan.
Detectives say Byaruhanga attempted to cover up his crime by tampering with CCTV footage at the premises. Before disappearing, he even sent a cryptic message to company staff and his supervisor at Don World Security: “Something bad has happened.”
Security agencies feared the guard would attempt to cross into the Democratic Republic of Congo, prompting the involvement of Military Intelligence in the operation that eventually cornered him.
A Betrayal of Trust
What makes this case particularly striking is the trust Mutinisa had placed in his guard. According to police, Byaruhanga was not only an employee of Don World Security but was also directly paid by Mutinisa for extra responsibilities. He was trusted to handle errands, drive the businessman, and had intimate knowledge of company operations.
That trust, it appears, became the very crack that enabled betrayal.
A Pattern of Guards Killing Employers
Mutinisa’s death is not an isolated case. Uganda has witnessed a disturbing rise in incidents where private security guards, frustrated by working conditions or motivated by crime, have turned their weapons against their employers or unsuspecting civilians.
June 2025 – Mbuya, Kampala: A guard at Ultimate Security Ltd, reportedly angry over unpaid wages and dismissal, shot dead two of his supervisors before being killed by police.
February 2025 – Mukwano Arcade, Kampala: A guard from Saracen Security shot dead a businessman during a disagreement.
October 2024 – Lira: A guard accidentally discharged his rifle, killing a local trader.
2016 – Gulu: A guard killed a university lecturer in cold blood.
2010 – Makerere University: Students were shot by a guard in a late-night altercation.
These tragic events highlight deep-rooted cracks in Uganda’s private security sector low pay, poor training, lack of psychological evaluation, and weak supervision.
A Growing Security Industry with Growing Risks
Uganda’s private security industry has grown exponentially, with over 60 registered firms employing upwards of 17,000 guards. Many of these guards are armed, operating in homes, businesses, banks, and public spaces.
Yet the very guns meant to protect are increasingly becoming tools of violence. The government has faulted several firms for failing to adequately train, supervise, and psychologically assess their employees.
In 2023, the Internal Security Organization (ISO) was forced to retrain private security firm managers after an alarming surge in cases where guards misused their weapons.
Courts have also stepped in, ordering firms to compensate victims’ families. In one case, a private security company was directed to pay UGX 180 million for a wrongful killing.
The killing of Anthony Mutinisa has reignited debate about the safety of entrusting armed guards with close personal access. For families, businesses, and high-profile individuals, the incident raises questions about who truly watches the watchers.
Security experts now warn that unless the private security industry is cleaned up with better pay, training, and mental health checks, the cycle of guards turning guns on their bosses will only worsen.
For now, justice for Mutinisa will play out in the courts. But his tragic death has already added another dark chapter to Uganda’s unsettling history of guards who kill the very people they are sworn to protect.
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