Father Clement Kiggundu (June 3, 1928 to January 12, 1973) was a UgandanCatholic priest who also worked as a newspaper editor.[1] He was in charge of Munno, a daily newspaper in the Luganda language.[2][3][4] He got attention for his direct reporting while President Idi Amin was in power. He was killed in January 1973, and sources from that time, as well as later research, say state security agents were responsible.[5][6]
Father Kiggundu was born on 3 June 1928 in Kisaawa, Kalungu, Masaka District. He was ordained in 1958 and was assigned to Kikira Parish and later Kyamulibwa Parish after 2 years.[5]
Journalism and Munno
He joined the Catholic newspaper Munno as a writer in 1961 and became its editor in 1964. Munno was a leading Luganda daily publication by the Catholic Church.[5] In 1968 he undertook journalism refresher studies in the United States, then returned to Uganda to serve again as editor and administrator of Munno.[3][5]
In late 1972 Munno ran coverage critical of government abuses, including women’s public complaints about disappearances, and commentary on the expulsion of Asians from Uganda. Contemporary and later accounts link this coverage to rising pressure on the paper and on Kiggundu.[5][7]
Death
It is that the cause of his death was connected to publication he made in Munno on November 9, 1972 where he creticized President Iddi Amin's expulsion of all the Indians from the country. In defense of the expelled Asians, Fr. Kiggundu insisted that all those expelled were not only businessmen, but they included women, children and the elderly. “It is like in South Africa,” regard to the apartheid policy.[5]
On 12 January 1973 Father Kiggundu was abducted in central Kampala. His burned car and body were found near the edge of Namanve Forest, about 9 to 10 miles from the city, on 14 January. An autopsy reported signs of strangulation and a gunshot wound. Multiple sources identify state security operatives as responsible.[1][5][7][8]
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