news 25 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Gun Fingerprinting Stalls in Uganda Amid Journalist Joe Nam's Killing
The fatal shooting of journalist Joe Nam has reignited debates over Uganda's stalled firearm fingerprinting initiative, with experts questioning why the promised system to track guns used in crimes has not been fully implemented. While officials claim most registered firearms were fingerprinted by 2022, fragmented databases and illicit arms undermine its effectiveness in solving cases. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/insight/arrested-development-as-gun-fingerprinting-exercise-stalls-5435460
The killing of journalist Joe Nam, author of The Day Museveni Goes, on April 19 outside his home in Kawanda, Wakiso District, has spotlighted Uganda’s unfinished gun fingerprinting project. Observers argue that a fully operational system could have quickly identified the shooter.
Launched years ago to modernize security, the initiative aimed to register firearms from agencies like UPDF, UPF, and private holders, capturing ballistic signatures via the Integrated Ballistics Identification Systems (IBIS). A 2019 police statement confirmed registration in Kampala, but progress has halted, with no clear public evidence of nationwide rollout.
Experts like Job Kiija from IDEA blame bureaucratic inertia, inconsistent funding, and lack of political will. He calls for a Forensic Impact Audit, parliamentary oversight tying funds to milestones, and transparent scrutiny of security forces to rebuild public trust.
Veteran journalist Baker Batte notes that by 2022, 99.9% of registered guns were fingerprinted, but the system is fragmented without an integrated database. Many crimes involve unregistered illicit arms, and silos between NIRA biometrics and police data limit utility, as seen in his own theft case where fingerprints went unused.
Batte highlights public suspicions of state-linked crimes, citing arrests like Maj Gen James Birungi’s over Kampala bombs and Nicholas Agasirwe’s trial for Joan Kagezi’s murder. Resources seem skewed toward political policing over everyday crime, eroding confidence.
Lawyer Timothy Chemonges urges clear timelines, public updates, and independent monitoring. Security expert Felix Ocen questions if funding or deprioritization caused the silence.
Friends of Nam condemned victim-blaming remarks about his late-night outing, demanding justice.