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The joint security agencies on Saturday, May 4, 2024, warned landlords and local residents across the country to be on the lookout for strange people inquiring about renting premises for fear of harbouring terrorists.

This came in the wake of an incident where security agencies  cordoned off Kwata zone, Komamboga, Kawempe Division, Kampala, after they received intelligence about the presence of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in one of the houses 

An improvised explosive device (IED)  is  a “homemade” bomb and/or destructive device used by criminals, vandals, terrorists, suicide bombers, and insurgents.   

Security experts describe the IED  as a destructive device used to destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract.

Director Defence Public Information Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye who joined the security teams at the scene, revealed that they have been working with the vigilant Wanainchi to gather intelligence and capture the suspected terrorists.

Security at the scene

Security was directed to a house rented by unknown people in Kwata Zone, Komamboga Parish in Kawempe Division. During the raid, we found four IEDs and several ammunition.”

Brig. Gen. Kulayigye  added  that intelligence information from suspected rebels captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) led the security teams to the place where the IEDs and ammunition were recovered .

He revealed that some of the suspects in custody include:  Augustine Kalanzi who was arrested in Masaka, Suleiman Nsubuga arrested in Busia and Swaleh Abubakar arrested in Zambia.

The  trio are said to be part of a group of terrorists commanded by one Punisher, alias Meddie Nsubuga, alias Nkalubo, who is the master minder of these terrorists’ activities that include the IEDs and assassination of some individuals.

“He is believed to be located in DRC, but also sometimes moves to South Africa and other countries. We are tracking him and his accomplices and he will be eliminated or arrested very soon. Security forces also continue to hunt the remaining cells of terrorists still at large in Kampala and other parts of Uganda and this continues according to the intelligence being collected and the vigilance of the Wanainchi,” he added.

Kulayigye appealed to all Ugandans to always report strange people in their vicinity. “In this case  Komamboga case, some people showed up asking for a house to rent. Their wish was immediately granted.

"Some  curious people saw individuals come with bags and enter this house, they immediately alerted authorities. Once we got intelligence about them, we were taken to the house.

If it hadn’t been for the vigilant people, we would have had these four bombs planted in four targets and therefore they would have exploded before us knowing,” Kulayigye noted.

UPDF officer and journalists at the Kawempe suspected den of terrorists

The UPDF First Division spokesperson, Maj Charles Kabona said that the bombs were found in a house rented by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorists.

Maj Kabona also confirmed that four bombs have been discovered alongside other military equipment.

“The experts are doing their work to make sure that they explode these bombs. So far there are four bombs, there are other military ammunition, bullets, magazines and other items that belong to the military,” he said.

In November 2021, the joint forces of Uganda and DRC launched Operation Shujaa, a joint security initiative involving the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC).

This was after the ADF had carried out a series of attacks including a twin bombing that targeted a building on Parliamentary Avenue and Central Police Station in Kampala.

The operation has successfully dislodged the ADF from their bases in the jungles of DRC, led to the killing and arrest of several commanders. Several abductees have also been rescued and the terror groups' ammunition either destroyed and captured.

In September last year, President Yoweri Museveni revealed that the UPDF under Operation Shujaa had intensified the hunt for ADF terrorists wherever they are.

“The hunt to wipe out the ADF is being intensified.  I salute, again, the Congo Government for allowing us to help them eliminate these criminals from Eastern Congo.  In their ignorance, the ADF terrorists, thought the Congo forests, were heaven where the Security Forces could not reach.

  Following the devastating attacks by the UPDF ever since November, 2021, they have now discovered that actually the forests are death traps,” Museveni said in a statement.

Museveni said there were small ADF splinter groups that were trying to re-enter Uganda and commit acts of terror, but that security is on alert.

“Instead, we are re-enforcing our strength there and also guarding the rear.”