Ever since the attack on former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Edward Katumba Wamala on June 1, Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, Crime Intelligence, and Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce have arrested over 100 terror suspects but 12 of them have been shot dead during investigations.
The killing of the 12 terror suspects was reaffirmed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in his Saturday evening address to the country, in regard to the recent four bomb blasts that have left nine people dead and scores injured.
A bomb went off on October 23, at a pork joint in Komamboga under Kawempe division leaving one female worker Emily Nyinaneza dead. It took only two days for another bomb to go off inside a Swift bus at Lungala in Mpigi and only the alleged suicide bomber Isaac Matovu died out of the 52 passengers.
On Tuesday last week, a suicide bomber later identified as Mansoor Uthman detonated a bomb in his back bag at the quarter of Kampala Central Police Station leaving two people dead and 22 others nursing wounds.
Three minutes later, another bomb exploded at the office of Inspector General of Government (IGG) killing one person on spot but another died in hospital. Security identified the bomber at IGG office as Abdullah Wanjusi, while their accomplice whose mission was reportedly to bomb Bwaise in the evening was identified as Musa Mudasir, who was shot dead at 10:30am on the same day.
CMI under the command of Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho, CI commanded by Brig. Chris Damulira, and JATT commanded by Brig D B Twesigomwe started by killing Hussein Lubwama alias Master in the wee hours of July 1. Maj. Gen Paul Lokech who was later elevated to Lieutenant General upon his death was the overall commander of the team hunting for Gen. Katumba attackers, who said Master was killed for fighting forces.
“The task team tracked down and arrested Lubwama Hussein alias Kinene Christopher alias Master, a resident of Kabulengwa-Kyebando in Nansana municipality, who was arrested along Nansana Nabweru road. The suspect who was the team leader and head of the domestic terror cell put up very stiff resistance to the extent of grabbing a gun from an officer, but was subdued by the task team. He later succumbed to the injuries,” Lokech said.
In the wee hours of July 2, military and police commandos killed three more ADF linked terror suspects who include Juma Said, Idris Sserwadda, and Mustafa Kawawa alias Amin. The trio were shot dead while in handcuffs at Kanyogoga, according to witnesses Uganda Radio Network (URN) spoke to. Unfortunately, Gen. Lokech died of blood clot seven weeks later but Brig Damulira, Brig Twesigomwe, and Maj. Gen Kandiho have continued steering the hunt for alleged terror suspects.
Security on October 4, killed Hamidu Nsubuga at Kyebando claiming he was one of the ADF terror gang that wanted to blow mourners at Gen Lokech’s burial in Pader. On November 5, security again killed Adam Matovu in the wee hours at Naguru. Police spokesperson Fred Enanga claimed Matovu was escaping. But URN was informed by security sources that he was killed in handcuffs at 2am.
“The Joint Counter Terror task team found themselves in a volatile situation, after a terror suspect jumped off a patrol vehicle and tried to escape. Unfortunately, the suspect succumbed to the bullet wounds at the scene around Naguru remand home. The suspect now deceased has been identified as Matovu Adam alias Manihajji aged 36, and resident of Ttula zone, Kawempe 1 ward, Kawempe division,” said Enanga.
Muhammad Kiryowa alias Moses Kiryowa was arrested and shot dead on the day two bombs exploded at CPS and IGG office. Sheikh Muhammad Abbas Kirevu was shot dead a day after the Kampala bombings. “The Sheikh was arrested and resisted handcuffs. He however attempted to escape while being escorted to the patrol car, which led to a shooting, killing him instantly,” said Enanga.
Even though URN had earlier been informed about four other ADF linked suspects who had been shot dead, security had not revealed their names until Museveni’s address. Other victims include Atindiya Yasin, Musa Byaruhanga, Joshua Turikimanya, and Joseph Bagonza.
Although human rights lawyers like Dr. Livingstone Ssewanyana of Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, Najib Kasule from the Network of Public Interest Lawyers and Umar Nyanzi of Muslim Centre for Justice have termed the killing of the suspects as extra-judicial, Museveni warns that ADF remnants should surrender or else they will be killed.
Museveni said all the arrested and killed suspects have been a result of the built security infrastructure that resonates with his 12-point security plan unveiled on June 18, 2018.
Museveni unveiled the 12-point plan program following the murder of then Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga. The plan included installation of CCTV spy cameras, recruitment of LDUs, installation of tracking chips in cars and motorcycles, banning of hoods, digital number plates, electronic registration of all guns in the country.
So far, more than 3000 CCTV cameras have been installed in Kampala and some of the suspects were arrested or killed using footage captured by the cameras. More than 20,000 LDUs have been recruited across the country while over 57,000 guns have been electronically registered and fingerprinted save for military agencies.