Forensic experts cordon off the roundabout at Kalerwe in Kampala after a suspected female suicide bomber was shot dead at Kalerwe Market.PHOTO/ IBRAHIM KAVUMA
The army yesterday revealed that a suspected female suicide bomber, who was shot dead at a city market early in the morning, had been under surveillance by security forces for five days. The Director of Defence Public Information, Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, told journalists that security operatives had been trailing the unidentified suspect and, by the third day, began monitoring her communications — an intelligence breakthrough that enabled them to track her movements.
“For the last three days, intelligence was trailing a woman whom they understood had a mission to attack a church and a market. She was being followed by intelligence personnel from the moment she left her location, particularly when she picked a boda boda rider at Busega,” said Gen Kulayigye.
Police detectives cordon off the scene of crime in Kalerwe Market in Kawempe Division, Kampala City, on June 22, 2025. PHOTOS/IBRAHIM KAVUMA
He added: “We have not yet identified the suspected suicide bomber, but very soon we shall know.
From my observation, as I saw her, she may be Congolese.” Preliminary investigations suggest that the woman hired a boda boda from Busega and was transported via the Northern Bypass. Upon reaching the Kalerwe flyover, she was stopped by security personnel, but insisted on proceeding towards the market, where she was eventually shot dead.
Gen Kulayigye said the woman was carrying a bomb in her bag, and her apparent target was to detonate it in the market. He clarified that the explosive device was not attached to her body. “The bomb squad was called in, and the device was safely disrupted and later detonated in the presence of civilians and members of the media,” he said.
Police bomb squad vehicles near the crime scene in Kalerwe Market
Recent terror threat
The incident comes just weeks after another terror-related episode in Munyonyo, Kampala, where two individuals described by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) as “armed terrorists” were intercepted and killed by a counter-terrorism unit. One of them was also identified as a female suicide bomber.
That operation took place near the Roman Catholic Munyonyo Martyrs’ Shrine during Martyrs’ Day celebrations, where the faithful had gathered for prayer.
Reports at the time indicated that an explosion occurred as the pair approached the church on a motorcycle. The army said it was believed the two people were linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is an affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) group.
Witness accounts
Several eyewitnesses at the Kalerwe incident reported hearing warning shots followed by a loud commotion, then the swift arrival of security personnel.
“The detonation took time because there were trucks delivering food to the market that had to be cleared from the area,” said a security source. “After two controlled disruptions, the bomb was detonated by the bomb squad.” The motive behind the suspected attack remains unknown. Authorities have yet to release the identity of the deceased suspect. However, intelligence sources believe the incident may be linked to ongoing threats posed by terrorist groups operating in the region.
