Following a shooting attack that claimed the life of his bodyguard, a well-known Ugandan preacher and vocal ally of President Yoweri Museveni was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, according to authorities.
Aloysius Bugingo was shot on Tuesday evening when “unidentified assailants opened fire on (his) vehicle… before swiftly escaping the scene on a motorcycle”, said Ugandan police.
They said an investigation had been launched into “the attempted murder of Pastor Aloysius Bugingo… and the unfortunate killing of his bodyguard, Muhumuza Richard.”
As the leader of the House of Prayer Ministries, one of the most significant Pentecostal churches in the pious East African nation, Bugingo is a controversial figure in Uganda.
In addition, he operates his own radio and television networks, which he uses to promote Museveni, the president of Uganda since 1986, without reservation.
“Despite sustaining injuries during the attack, Pastor Aloysius Bugingo managed to transport the vehicle to Mulago Hospital,” police added.
“Regrettably, his bodyguard, Muhumuza Richard, succumbed to the assault and was confirmed dead upon arrival at the hospital.”
They said Bugingo was “undergoing medical treatment and is under close monitoring.”
The opposition frequently takes offense at Bugingo’s support for the president and, more lately, his son, who is thought to be the next in line. The pastor responds to this animosity in his sermons.