One person has been shot dead following an early-morning shooting at Top Pub, a bar and restaurant in Kampala, after an unidentified armed individual opened fire inside the premises.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at around 5am when a man described as a regular customer entered the bar’s bathroom carrying a firearm.
Moments later, gunshots rang out, causing panic among workers and patrons.
The victim, identified only as Emma, was a cleaner at the bar. By the time journalists arrived at the scene, employees and customers were visibly shaken, with many still struggling to comprehend the violent incident.
Witnesses said the suspect had been drinking at the bar before heading to the toilet, where the shots were fired. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
Police officers who later responded to the scene found Emma’s body lying in a pool of blood. The suspect had already fled by the time police arrived.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that a manhunt has been launched to track down the suspect.
“Police are actively pursuing the suspect, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the shooting are ongoing,” Kawala said.
The incident adds to a history of violent episodes linked to the establishment. In 2009, a soldier attached to the Presidential Guard Brigade opened fire at the same bar, killing five people and injuring eight others.
In 2013, a security guard also shot and killed a person at the premises, leading to the bar’s temporary closure.
Police say they are continuing to record statements from witnesses and are reviewing the bar’s security arrangements as part of the investigation.