On This Day: Ugandan vlogger Isma Olaxes was shot dead in Kyanja

Ugandan vlogger and social media personality Ibrahim Tusubira, widely known as Jajja Iculi or Isma Olaxes, was shot dead on the night of May 6, 2023, in Kyanja, a suburb of Kampala.

The incident happened at around 9:20pm as he returned home in a Toyota Hiace driven by Mathias Wasswa. According to police, an unidentified gunman fired at close range through the passenger-side window just a few metres from his residence.

Isma Olaxes was hit multiple times and died instantly, while his driver survived without injury, despite the vehicle being struck by bullets. Authorities later confirmed that a pistol was used in the attack, correcting earlier reports that had suggested a submachine gun.

Investigators recovered items believed to have been dropped by the attacker and traced a suspected escape route involving a motorcycle.

The killing came only days after the death of Charles Okello Engola, who had been shot by his bodyguard in the same area, raising fresh concerns about security in Kampala.

Police arrested several individuals in the immediate aftermath, including the driver, as part of ongoing investigations.

CCTV footage showing Jajja Iculi’s movements earlier that day—from Munyonyo to Mutungo—was also reviewed as detectives searched for leads.

He was buried the following day in Nkokonjeru, Buikwe District.

Despite the arrests made, the killer has not yet been conclusively identified or convicted, and a final report on the circumstances surrounding his death is still pending.