The chairman of Stanbic Bank Rugby Club, Daniel Canowira, has called on Ugandans to embrace compassion, personal responsibility and community solidarity following the killing of rugby player Sydney Gongodyo, saying the tragedy should serve as a wake-up call against growing public indifference to violence.
Speaking during the Uganda Law Society's weekly press briefing in Kampala on Thursday, Canowira thanked the rugby fraternity for the unity and support shown to Gongodyo's family and teammates following his death.
He described rugby as a sport built on respect, friendship and shared values, despite its physical nature.
“To the entire rugby community and all the clubs, I want to say thank you. Rugby may appear to be a rough game, but in truth, it is a game of gentlemen. Players compete fiercely on the field, but after the final whistle, they come together in friendship and respect. That is the true spirit of rugby,” Canowira said.
However, he said the circumstances surrounding Gongodyo's death had exposed a troubling culture of bystander inaction when violence occurs in public spaces.
“Everyone seems to want to blame someone else, yet we must ask ourselves: What have we become?” he said.
“It is deeply troubling that someone could be beaten for such a long time while people nearby watched and did nothing. Some people even continued with their activities—driving past, closing car windows or going about their business—without intervening or calling for help.”
Canowira urged Ugandans to recognize that protecting life and human dignity is a shared responsibility.
“We must become our brother’s keepers. We do not need to personally know someone to stand up for them. When we see wrongdoing or violence, we must act, call the police, intervene safely or seek help,” he said.
Drawing on biblical teachings, he called on citizens to embrace empathy and compassion in their daily lives.
“The Bible teaches us to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. It also teaches that whatever we do for others—feeding the hungry, helping the suffering or supporting those in need—we do for God. We are also commanded to treat others as we would want to be treated.”
His remarks came as police renewed calls for an end to mob violence, insisting that such attacks should never be described as “mob justice.”
Speaking at the same event, Kampala Metropolitan Police Community Liaison Officer SSP Donald Muhwezi said the term gives a false impression of legitimacy to acts that are criminal in nature.
“We should stop calling it mob justice. There is no justice in it. It should be referred to as mob action or mob violence,” Muhwezi said.
He described mob violence as one of the most disturbing forms of crime despite an overall decline in reported incidents.
According to police statistics, Uganda recorded 950 cases of mob action in the previous year, down from 1,015 cases in 2024. While the numbers show some improvement, authorities say the figures remain unacceptably high.
Muhwezi noted that recent victims of mob violence have included a lawyer, a national rugby player, a university worker and a road equipment operator, cases that have reignited public debate about how communities respond to suspected criminal activity.
He warned that mob attacks violate fundamental constitutional rights, including the right to life, the right to a fair hearing and the presumption of innocence.
Beyond that, he said such incidents often undermine criminal investigations by destroying evidence and preventing authorities from identifying accomplices or establishing the truth.
“Mob action is illegal, and everyone who participates can be held criminally liable. Whether you strike the victim, throw stones, encourage the violence or assist in any way, the law recognizes joint liability and holds participants accountable,” he said.
Meanwhile, police investigations into Gongodyo's killing continue to gather momentum, with more suspects being identified and arrested.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala, the latest suspect arrested is Henry Kabugo, 21, a boda boda rider from Old Kira-Kisenyi.
Kabugo was apprehended during a joint operation involving police and boda boda leaders from Nakawa Division.
Investigators say video footage from the scene captured him wearing a blue reflector jacket and concealing his face with a black hood during the attack.
His arrest follows those of Obed Mugwisa and Joseph Owino, who were earlier identified through video evidence and taken into custody.
Police said Mugwisa was captured wearing a yellow T-shirt and carrying a large log believed to have been used during the assault.
During interrogation, investigators said Mugwisa led officers to a laundry where he had reportedly taken the shirt seen in the footage. The garment has since been recovered and added to the evidence in the case.
Authorities continue to analyse video footage and information submitted by members of the public as they seek to identify additional suspects.
Images circulating on social media have also pointed investigators toward other individuals allegedly involved in the attack, including a man reportedly seen carrying a knife.
“We commend the boda boda community for its cooperation and support in assisting law enforcement efforts to identify and apprehend those involved,” Kawala said.
Police have so far charged four suspects with murder and say more arrests are expected as investigations continue.
Gongodyo, 27, was attacked on June 5 at approximately 2 p.m. in Masulira Zone, Bukoto I Parish in Nakawa Division.
He was rushed to Mulago National Referral Hospital but succumbed to his injuries later that evening.
His death sent shockwaves through Uganda's rugby fraternity, where he was regarded as one of the sport's emerging talents.
Gongodyo was a member of the Black Pirates side that won both the Uganda Rugby Premiership and the Uganda Cup last season.
He was laid to rest on June 9 at Buweri Town Council in Budadiri County, Sironko District.
As investigations continue, rugby leaders, police and civil society actors say the case should not only deliver justice for Gongodyo but also spark a national conversation about the dangers of mob violence and the responsibility citizens have to protect one another.