One Suicide Bomber Arrested, Police Urge Ugandans To Be Vigilant

After bomb-disposal experts in Kampala discovered a fatal explosion placed next to a large born-again church belonging to Pastor Robert Kayanja on Sunday, police nabbed 28-year-old Ibrahim Kintu as a suspected suicide bomber to help the in investigation.

According to Patrick Onyango, a spokesman for the Kampala Metropolitan Police, “our technology confirmed that there was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the bag.”

The bomb location was cordoned off by police around midday on Sunday, and the explosive detonated under control.

“At the moment, we’re attempting to determine what was in the IED. It was hidden in a food flask, and they had utilized nails, a detonator, a motorcycle battery that served as the charger, and a phone that was intended to serve as the switch, according to Onyango.

Police claim that when terrorists struck churches in the capital of Uganda on Sunday, Kintu, a suspect in terrorism, attempted to disguise the identity of a bomb by covering it with powder that resembled food. Kintu is accused of wanting to blow himself up.

“They had placed a powder that, upon closer inspection, would have given the impression that it was rice or posho, allowing him to enter with ease. We’re still looking for the sim card that may have been misplaced during the controlled explosion, Onyango said.

With the most recent attempt on Sunday, Onyango stated that “security agencies have been picking intelligence that there are terrorists who are still interested in hitting us.”

“We learned that one terrorist had already been dispatched to complete a task. We also placed our intelligences in other houses of worship, but we chose this one because it was busier. He was detained as police pursued him, the speaker added.

According to police, Kintu is assisting Ugandan authorities in finding at least three other explosives believed to be in the possession of suspected terrorists who want to injure worshipers.

He told us they had sent them with four (bombs) during our interaction. He is in our custody and is being held on terrorism-related accusations, Onyango informed the press on Sunday.

In an updated travel advisory issued in early July 2023, the United Kingdom (UK) cautioned that terrorists were very likely to attempt to carry out strikes in Uganda.

“Though it is different from what we are used to, this is real. The entire church would have been destroyed by the explosion. We would undoubtedly be in grief now if there had been no vigilance. I advise Ugandans to exercise caution, Pastor Kayanja said on Sunday from the rubaga Miracle Center Cathedral.

On June 16, 2023, a shooting at the Lhubiriha Secondary School in Mpondwe, Kasese District, left around 40 people dead.
On November 16, 2021, twin explosions close to Parliament (Kampala) resulted in four fatalities and numerous injuries.
On October 25, 2021, a terrorist attack targeting 52 passengers on a Swift Safari Bus heading to the Ishaka District claimed one life.
On October 23, 2021, a terrorist attack employing homemade explosives on a restaurant in Komamboga, Kampala, left one person dead and numerous more injured.