Who Is Mujurizi Moses? Ugandan Suspect Accused by an Army Chief of Killing and Eating 38 People

Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has accused a man identified as Moses Mujurizi of killing and eating 38 people between 2010 and 2025. Kainerugaba announced the arrest on Monday, 26 October, but has not publicly provided a list of the alleged victims or evidence establishing the claim.

In a post on X, Kainerugaba described Mujurizi as 'the worst serial killer and cannibal in Uganda's history' and said he would be tried publicly and 'definitely executed'. The allegations have not been established in court, and the general's statement does not determine the outcome of any criminal proceedings.

Who Is Mujurizi Moses?

The name in Kainerugaba's announcement resembles that of Fred Mujulizi, a suspect long sought over killings in Uganda's Greater Masaka region. Daily Monitor's historical reporting described police efforts to find Mujulizi and linked a suspect of that name to a series of murders reported in 2012 and 2013.

The relationship between the names in the current case remains unclear. Uganda Radio Network reported on 16 October that a man identified as Fred Mujulizi, also known as Kulaish Kamugisha, appeared in court in a separate murder case. Uganda Wired subsequently reported that police identified Kamugisha as Mujulizi, while Pulse Uganda had earlier reported that police had not confirmed whether Kamugisha was the long-wanted Mujulizi.

Those reports do not conclusively establish that the man Kainerugaba named as Moses Mujurizi is the same person. The names should not be treated as interchangeable without confirmation from police or court records.

What Is Known About the 38 Claims?

Kainerugaba alleged that the suspect killed and ate 38 people in Masaka, Ibanda and Kazo over 15 years. He did not explain how the figure was calculated or identify the alleged victims, according to reporting by Daily Monitor and ChimpReports.

Earlier Daily Monitor reporting referred to up to 35 people killed in similar attacks in Greater Masaka during 2013. That historical figure relates to a wave of killings and does not independently verify the separate claim of 38 victims between 2010 and 2025, nor does it establish that one suspect was responsible for all those deaths.

Past reports described attacks in which victims were hacked to death after assailants allegedly broke or dug through the walls of their homes. One widely reported incident involved nine members of a family associated with Pentecostal pastor Steven Mugambe in Kyebe, then part of Rakai District. Police linked a suspect named Mujulizi to that case, but allegations about historical attacks must be distinguished from findings proved in court.

Separate Murder Case

Uganda Radio Network reported that Fred Mujulizi, alias Kulaish Kamugisha, appeared before Masaka Grade One Magistrate Primer Kyomugisha on 16 October alongside Huzairuh Kyambadde. The two faced two counts of murder and human trafficking in connection with an alleged killing on 28 September 2026.

Prosecutors alleged that Mujulizi lured a woman with the promise of an intimate relationship before killing her. Kyambadde was accused of procuring the killing for witchcraft purposes. Both defendants were remanded to Masaka Central Prison until 5 November while investigations continued.

Police said they were reviewing older murder files and receiving complaints from people who believed the accused might have been involved in the deaths of their relatives. Further charges could follow if investigators gather sufficient evidence. These proceedings concern the defendant identified as Mujulizi or Kamugisha; the available reports do not conclusively link that defendant to the man Kainerugaba named as Moses Mujurizi.

Questions Over Due Process

Kainerugaba's statement that the suspect would 'definitely' be executed raises questions about due process because it appears to prejudge the outcome before a trial. Guilt and any sentence must be determined through the courts, on the evidence presented.

The general's announcement did not provide details of the arrest or evidence supporting the cannibalism allegation. Separately, Uganda Police Force reporting about other suspects in suspected ritual murders has described allegations involving human body parts, but those claims should not automatically be attributed to the man named by Kainerugaba.

Investigators are reviewing unresolved cases in Greater Masaka, but the extent of any suspect's involvement must be established through evidence. For now, the claim of 38 victims remains an allegation, and the identity link between Moses Mujurizi and the defendant reported as Fred Mujulizi or Kulaish Kamugisha has not been conclusively established in the sources reviewed.