Police recover AK-47 rifle at Tausi Bus Terminal in Kampala

Kampala, Uganda: Police at Old Kampala Division have recovered an AK-47 rifle at Tausi Bus Terminal in Bukesa Parish after a suspicious passenger abandoned luggage during a routine check by a bus conductor.

According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala, the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, April 14, at around 5:00 am.

Police say the suspect approached a conductor who was loading passengers onto a bus destined for Mbarara and requested that his luggage be transported.

“It is alleged that on 14th April 2026 at about 0500 hours, a bus conductor, while loading passengers onto a bus bound for Mbarara, was approached by an unknown passenger who requested to have his luggage transported,” Ms Kawala stated.

As part of standard procedure, Kawala says the conductor asked the man to open the bag for inspection, but he declined, raising immediate suspicion.

“The refusal raised suspicion, prompting the conductor to physically check the luggage. In doing so, he detected an object resembling a firearm and immediately alerted authorities,” she said in a Wednesday police statement.

“A police task team swiftly responded to the scene. Upon inspection, an AK-47 rifle with an empty magazine and no ammunition was recovered. The weapon had been concealed in a white polythene bag, which was further packed inside a bag,” Ms Kawala added.

The weapon had an empty magazine and no ammunition, according to the KMP spokesperson, adding that the suspect fled the scene before police arrived and is currently on the run.

The suspect fled the scene and remains at large, and Kawala says “efforts are underway to identify and apprehend him as investigations continue.”

The recovery comes amid continued security operations aimed at curbing illegal possession of firearms, particularly in urban centres and public transport hubs.