A joint team of officers from Uganda police force, Uganda people’s defence forces and Uganda wildlife Authority Game wardens has been dispatched to search for an American national and a Ugandan guide who were kidnapped by 4 armed men during an evening game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
According to Deputy Police spokesperson Polly Namaye, the incident happened on Tuesday along the Edward track, a section located between Katooke gate and wilderness camp between 6-7pm.
Namaye says the unknown gunmen put the tourists on gunpoint and grabbed two people out of the vehicle that was carrying four before disappearing with them.
The victims have been identified as Kimbely Endecott and Jean Paul the driver. The two remaining tourists are said to have called the camp manager who rescued them.
The kidnappers called using the victims’ phones and demanded a ransom of 500,000 USD. Police says they have notified the American Embassy about the incident and efforts are underway to rescue the duo.
Police believes ransom is the only motive behind the kidnap. Police has now cut off exit on the Uganda-DRC border in search of the victims since the park is near this border.
