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SC Villa confirmed the death of its 28-year-old captain David Owori on Wednesday after he succumbed to injuries from an attack the previous night as he returned home from training. The club said in a statement that Owori was ambushed by unknown assailants in the Makindye suburb of Kampala leaving him with multiple injuries including to his neck and stomach. According to police the player was rushed to Case Clinic where he died on August 5 with officers documenting the scene to collect and preserve evidence for the ongoing investigation.
The assault involved robbers who beat Owori with paving stones before stealing his iPhone cash and other personal belongings New Vision reported. SC Villa added in its announcement that the club commiserates with David’s family teammates friends supporters and the entire football fraternity during this painful moment while pledging to support the family and ensure a dignified send-off. The statement described Owori as a valuable player leader and servant of the game whose loss is deeply felt by both the club and the nation.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations stated that David was not just a footballer but both a leader and an inspiration to a generation. Uganda Cranes officials noted that the team had lost a football star who carried the hopes of a nation while parliament observed a minute of silence and called for swift investigations into the killing. Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye told local media that the player was ambushed by thugs as he approached his home leaving him with life-threatening injuries.
This incident has heightened concerns over security in Kampala where an NTV Uganda report found that the capital accounts for nearly 40 percent of the country’s reported crimes despite housing just 3.5 percent of Uganda’s population. The broadcaster highlighted a surge in violent robberies and coordinated gang attacks many of which circulate on social media with residents in suburbs reporting mounting fear and declining confidence in the security response. Macrotrends data places Uganda’s crime rate at 8.97 per 100000 people in 2023 marking a 2.47 percent increase from the previous year.
Owori had played a central role in SC Villa’s success captaining the side to its first Ugandan Premier League title in 20 years in 2024 which marked the club’s record 17th championship. The defender who joined the team in 2018 after spells in Spain and Sweden had featured for Uganda’s Cranes in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches and recently extended his contract until January 2027. Six days before the attack he had led the team in a 1-1 draw against Maroons in the FUFA Super 8 quarter-finals according to club records.
The killing follows the assault-related death of another Ugandan footballer Sydney Gongodyo two months earlier raising broader questions about player safety in the country New Vision noted. Rachael Kawala a police official confirmed that the scene of Owori’s incident had been processed to ensure all relevant evidence was collected and preserved. The football community including players and fans has expressed condolences across social media platforms with many highlighting Owori’s leadership on and off the pitch.
