Bomb blast in Uganda leaves two dead

Two suspected terrorists, including a woman believed to be a suicide bomber, were killed in an explosion near a church in Uganda on Tuesday, as the country tightened security ahead of Martyrs Day — its biggest religious celebration, authorities confirmed.

The blast occurred near the Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine, a Catholic landmark in a lakeside suburb of Kampala, where a small group had gathered for early morning prayers.

Eyewitnesses reported that the explosion took place as a man and a woman riding a motorcycle approached the church compound.

"The device exploded before they could reach the building," one eyewitness told Monitor. “The blast was extremely loud and could be heard from quite a distance,” another added.

According to Colonel Chris Magezi, Acting Director of Defence Public Information, the explosion followed an intelligence-driven operation by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).

"Earlier today, our counter-terrorism team intercepted and eliminated two armed terrorists in Munyonyo. One of them, a woman, was wearing an explosive device," Col Magezi said.

He added that security agencies are on high alert to ensure the Martyrs Day celebrations continue undisturbed.

Authorities quickly sealed off the area, restricting access to and from the shrine. As of the latest updates, no civilian casualties had been reported.

The incident happened over 30 kilometers from Namugongo in Wakiso District, where more than two million people were expected to attend Martyrs Day commemorations at the Catholic and Anglican shrines — a tribute to Ugandan Christians killed for their faith between 1885 and 1887.

Despite the scare, religious events went on as scheduled. By 11 a.m. local time, services were in progress with President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni attending prayers at the Anglican site in Namugongo.

Security remained tight as large crowds continued to arrive.

Col Magezi urged the public to stay "calm but watchful," encouraging them to report any unusual activity or suspicious individuals to the nearest authorities.

Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba, speaking in a video interview, confirmed the explosion but noted that investigations were still underway.

"It’s too early to draw firm conclusions," he said.

"What we know is that there was an explosion involving a motorcycle. Thankfully, there are no reports of injuries or fatalities among bystanders. Only the individuals on the bike were affected. All our security teams are fully engaged in managing the situation."

In recent years, Ugandan security forces have increased vigilance around large public gatherings due to ongoing threats from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist group with ties to the Islamic State, known to have carried out previous attacks.

Though no organization had claimed responsibility by midday Tuesday, security officials believe the UPDF’s swift action may have foiled a planned terror strike.