The terrorists are cowards; we will defeat them, says VP Alupo

Vice President Maj Jessica Alupo has blasted the masterminds of the two bomb blasts at Komamboga and on a Swift Safari bus along Kampala-Masaka highway as cowards who will be defeated.

“These are cowards, and we will make sure that they are defeated; to ensure that the country remains secure,” Alupo said.

The vice president made the remarks on Tuesday morning, at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya, after visiting Superintendent of Police Adrian Kwetegyereza, one of the victims of the bomb attack on a bus at Lungala along the Kampala-Masaka highway.

Kwetegyereza, who is the acting Regional Police Commander of Greater Bushenyi, survived the bomb attack, alongside  other passengers, when a bus belonging to Swift Safaris Bus company  Registration Number UAU 989T, was attacked  in a bomb explosion that left one person dead and another sustained a fractured leg.

At Rubaga hospital,  the vice president condoled with all the families of those who lost their loved ones in the two attacks separate attacks.

“I do pass on my sympathies, to all those who have lost their loved ones in these bomb attacks. We will make sure we defeat all those who are killing our people,” she re-emphasized. “We will do all it takes, to secure all Ugandans and people and their property, in this country,” she added.

The Vice President, during her visit to the hospital, was welcomed by the hospital’s Administrator Sr. Mary Cleophas Kizito, the Senior Principal Nursing Officer Annet Mirembe, and the Ward in-charge Christine Muzaale Anna.

President Museveni on Tuesday morning said the deceased person in the Swift bus explosion was a suicide bomber and was being tracked by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence(CMI) after the attempted attack on mourners during the burial of Lt Gen Paul Lokech in Pader earlier this year.

The deceased suicide bomber has been identified as Isaac Matovu.

According to police, preliminary investigations have pointed to the allied Democratic Forces(ADF) terrorist group to be behind the  two separate attacks.

“We have established from the hallmarks of the attack and the bomb materials recovered, a connection with the attack that occurred three days ago in Komamboga and could have been prepared in one place or by the same group of attackers. This, therefore, implies that the attackers are using different strategies of suicide vests and belts, armed assailants on boda bodas or motorcycles, and physical bomb attacks, targeting soft spots,” Police spokesperson," Fred Enanga said on Tuesday.

“We strongly, believe the attackers are part of the sleeper cells in the country, inspired by ADF in close collaboration with the Islamic State.  From our analysis they are attacking soft targets, which are many and quite difficult to defend.”