Uganda Army Chief Vows to Execute Alleged Cannibal Accused of Killing and Eating 38 People

Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces has vowed to put a murder suspect on public trial and 'definitely execute him' after accusing the man of killing and eating 38 people over 15 years.

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of President Yoweri Museveni, made the announcement on X on Monday, 26 October, identifying the arrested man as Moses Mujurizi. Kainerugaba alleged that the killings occurred between 2010 and 2025 in Masaka, Ibanda and Kazo districts.

Years of Arrests and Escapes

Kainerugaba described the suspect as the 'worst serial killer and cannibal in Uganda's history'.
The announcement included a photograph of the man in custody, but did not specify the charges he would face over the alleged killings or identify the court that would hear the case.

Early reports describe a suspect who was arrested in 2009 by the Rapid Response Unit, then known as the Violent Crime Crack Unit. One report says Gen Kale Kayihura, the police chief at the time, was expected to announce the arrest before the suspect escaped from detention.

The suspect was later arrested again and remanded to Kyamugolanyi Prison, from which he reportedly escaped about a week later. Police accounts described repeated efforts to apprehend him, although the circumstances of his subsequent disappearances were disputed.

A 2013 Daily Monitor report also described a man wanted in connection with killings in the Rakai and Masaka areas. However, the historical reports concern a suspect identified as Fred Mujulizi or Mujurizi, and the available reporting does not conclusively establish whether he is the same person Kainerugaba identified as Moses Mujurizi.

Masaka Court Case Raises Identity Questions

The announcement comes amid renewed investigations into earlier killings in Greater Masaka. On 16 October, Fred Mujulizi, also known as Kulaish Kamugisha, appeared before Masaka Grade One Magistrate Primer Kyomugisha alongside co-accused Huzairuh Kyambadde.

The men were charged with two counts of murder and human trafficking over the alleged killing of a woman on 28 September 2026. They were remanded to Masaka Central Prison until 5 November as investigations continued.

Twaha Kasirye, the Greater Masaka regional police spokesperson, said investigators were reviewing previous murder files to determine whether Mujulizi was involved in other killings. Police had previously linked him to the deaths of six people from two families in Kyannamukaaka in 2012 and five people from two families in Kijonjo village in 2023.

These remain allegations requiring investigation and, where charges are brought, proof in court. Authorities have not publicly confirmed that Moses Mujurizi and Fred Mujulizi are the same person. Nor does the reported Masaka case establish responsibility for the 38 deaths alleged by Kainerugaba.

Uganda's Death Penalty Remains in Law

The general's promise also raises questions about due process. Uganda retains the death penalty in law, but a declaration by a military official does not determine the outcome of a criminal trial.

In a 2021 statement on the death penalty, the EU Delegation to Uganda said the country's last civilian executions took place in 1999 and its last military execution in 2005. That statement establishes the historical record at the time. A current source would be needed to verify the position through October 2026.

Kainerugaba's comments are also significant in light of a separate legal dispute. In June 2026, opposition figure Kizza Besigye sued the general over alleged threats made in public statements and on X. Besigye argued such statements could prejudice his right to a fair trial. The filing reflects Besigye's allegations, not a judicial finding against Kainerugaba.

For now, the suspect named in the general's announcement has not been convicted of the 38 alleged killings. Any prosecution will depend on the evidence gathered by investigators and tested through the courts.