A shocking daylight robbery in one of Kampala’s most secure neighborhoods has left an Italian diplomat hospitalized and security agencies scrambling for answers.
The attack happened at around 3 p.m. Monday on Lourdel Road in Nakasero, a prestigious area home to several embassies, including the Italian mission.
According to police reports, the diplomat whose identity remains confidential was walking from the Italian Embassy toward Yusuf Lule Road when he was ambushed by a gang of assailants on motorcycles.
Eyewitness accounts and police statements describe a violent encounter involving six to eight men wielding pangas, a type of machete commonly used in the region.
The diplomat was assaulted and robbed of several personal items, including an iPhone 16 Pro, an Italian bank card, a diplomatic ID, and an access card to his residence.
In a desperate bid for help, the diplomat shouted for assistance. His cries were answered by an unidentified individual, believed to be a security operative, who intervened and managed to subdue one of the attackers.
The rest of the gang fled the scene, abandoning their accomplice and a red motorcycle bearing the registration number UMA 242BC.
The victim was immediately rushed to Medipal International Hospital, a high-end private facility in Kampala.
While police confirmed he was receiving medical care, they did not disclose the extent of his injuries.
Authorities have since launched an intensive manhunt for the fleeing suspects and are treating the recovered motorcycle and captured attacker as key evidence in the ongoing investigation.
The Italian Embassy, located just meters from the scene of the crime, has yet to comment publicly on the incident.
Such attacks on foreign diplomats are exceedingly rare in Uganda, especially in areas considered heavily secured, raising serious concerns about public safety in the capital.
Police say updates will be provided as investigations progress.
