Johannesburg – A Ugandan female member of Parliament (MP), Aidah Eriosi, says she has survived an assassination attempt after unknown gunmen opened fire on her as she drove along the Kayunga-Mukon road in central Uganda, according to a report on Monday.
The legislator, who is the MP for the Kayunga District, said the gunmen intercepted her on Sunday as she was returning to the capital Kampala, the Daily Monitor reported.
As she approached the Ggavu trading centre unknown men on a boda-boda (taxi motorbike) stopped her. After she stopped masked gunmen came out of the bush towards her. Sensing danger she sped off.
Eriosi’s bodyguard was with her in the vehicle and so was her older brother Amos Lugoloobi, the MP for Ntenjeru North. The bodyguard did not open fire on the assailants as he was afraid that Eriosi would be caught in the crossfire.
The state minister for ICT later drove to Naggalama Police Station where she reported the incident. However, before arriving at the police station the state minister had already alerted police to the matter when the gunmen first tried to intercept her car.
The police then started patrolling and monitoring the surroundings before the gunmen opened fire on them, prompting police to fire back and killing one of the gunmen on the spot.
Police are now investigating the matter as a manhunt for the other gunman continues.