Ugandan Authorities Successfully Prevent Church Bombing

Godfrey Olukya
Tuesday September 5, 2023

Ugandan authorities revealed on Sunday that they successfully foiled a potential bomb attack at a Pentecostal church in the nation’s capital.

The police announced the arrest of a 28-year-old man who was apprehended as he tried to enter the premises of Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral in Kampala, carrying an explosive device in his backpack.

According to police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, the suspect, identified as Ibrahim Kintu, confessed that he had three accomplices who were also tasked with carrying out similar attacks on other churches.

The police had received prior intelligence about terrorists planning to plant bombs in various places of worship, prompting them to heighten security measures and screen individuals entering religious sites.

“Our security agencies obtained information about potential bomb threats. We tracked down and arrested one suspect who is now assisting us in locating at least three more explosives that could be in the possession of these terrorists aiming to cause harm to worshipers,” Onyango stated.

It is worth mentioning that Uganda had experienced previous attacks. On July 11, 2010, suicide bombers targeted a crowded restaurant and a rugby club in Kampala, killing 74 soccer fans who were watching the World Cup final. Similarly, on November 16, 2021, twin suicide bombings resulted in the deaths of three people and left 33 others injured.

Daesh/ISIS had claimed responsibility for both incidents, asserting that they were retaliatory acts against Uganda’s involvement in deploying troops to maintain stability in Somalia.