Kampala Woman Shot By Husband’s Gun Inside Her Bag
A Kampala woman is recovering in hospital after a bizarre and frightening accident that left her with a gunshot wound to the leg.
The 48-year-old woman was helping her husband carry bags into their home in the upscale Muyenga neighbourhood when a loaded pistol inside one of the bags accidentally discharged, according to police reports.
The incident happened early Sunday morning as the couple returned from a weekend trip. The husband, a licensed firearm holder and local businessman, told police that upon arrival, he asked his wife to assist him in carrying three travel bags from their vehicle into the house.
One of the bags, unknown to the wife, contained a loaded Beretta pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition.
Authorities believe the firearm went off when the bag was placed on the ground, possibly with force. The bullet reportedly hit a nearby wall before ricocheting and striking the woman in the right leg. She collapsed in pain as her shocked husband rushed to her aid.
Neighbours were drawn to the scene by the sound of the gunshot and commotion. The husband quickly drove his wife to a nearby private hospital, where doctors stabilized her condition. She remains under observation but is said to be out of danger.
Police visited both the hospital and the couple’s home as part of their ongoing investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest that the pistol’s safety catch had not been engaged, allowing the weapon to fire while still inside the bag. The bag itself was found torn, likely from the impact of the shot.
Kampala Metropolitan Police confirmed that the firearm was recovered from the scene and has been confiscated as evidence pending the conclusion of investigations.
Authorities are now reviewing whether the firearm was being handled in compliance with Uganda’s stringent gun safety regulations.
In a separate but related case, police in Jinja are investigating the disappearance of a licensed firearm. A businessman there claims he locked his Glock pistol in a safe in early May but discovered it missing weeks later when he went to retrieve it for an upcoming trip.
The safe showed no signs of forced entry, and the incident has raised suspicions of internal tampering.
Uganda has approximately 10,000 licensed gun holders, with applicants undergoing intensive vetting and regular reviews. However, recent incidents are sparking renewed calls for stricter enforcement of firearm storage and safety rules.
