Busia, November 3, 2026 — A 14-year-old pupil has been killed and two other people injured in a shooting during an anti-smuggling operation by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement officers in Busia District.
The deceased, Dominic Wejuli, was a Primary Four pupil at Buhobe Primary School. He was shot on Tuesday at Buhobe Trading Centre in Bulumbi Sub-county, where officers were reportedly pursuing suspected smugglers.
Eyewitnesses said the confrontation escalated into gunfire, forcing people in the trading centre to seek shelter. Wejuli reportedly ran into a nearby tea house, hoping to escape the violence, but was hit by a bullet and died.
Among the injured were a pregnant woman and a local landlord, both of whom reportedly sustained gunshot wounds during the incident.
The shooting triggered protests by residents and relatives of the deceased, who carried the boy’s body to the URA checkpoint offices at Busitema to demand answers.
Family members maintained that Wejuli was not involved in smuggling and had been caught in the confrontation while trying to protect himself.
The enforcement officers were reportedly attached to a URA unit operating from neighbouring Namayingo District.
The circumstances that led to the shooting, including the use of firearms during the operation, are expected to be examined by the relevant authorities.
The death has raised concerns among residents about the safety of civilians during anti-smuggling operations in border communities, where enforcement officers regularly encounter suspected smugglers.
