David Owori, captain of SC Villa and the Uganda national team, has died after being beaten by suspected robbers near his home in Kampala on Tuesday night. The 27-year-old was ambushed and struck repeatedly with paving stones after resisting an attempt to steal his belongings in the Makindye suburb. Passers-by found him unconscious, and he was pronounced dead at a hospital on Wednesday.
Police have launched a murder investigation. Uganda's parliament observed a minute's silence in Owori's honour, and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa called for addressing wider security challenges in the capital. The Federation of Uganda Football Associations described Owori as "a leader and an inspiration to a generation."
Owori had returned to SC Villa in 2023 after spells in Spain and Sweden, leading the club to a record 17th Uganda Premier League title in 2024. His death follows the killing of rugby international Sydney Gongodyo, who died in June after a mob attacked him in Kampala.