One of the lead prosecutors in a case involving 13 terror suspects has been assassinated in Kampala. The prosecutor, Joan Kagezi, was killed on Monday evening while on her way home by gunmen on a motorbike. Ms. Kagezi served as the head of the anti-terrorism and war crimes division within the directorate of public prosecution. The 13 terror suspects included five Ugandans, seven Kenyans and a Tanzanian.
Her killing comes at a time when the US intelligence has issued warnings of an imminent al Shabaab attack on Kampala city. Al Shabaab has threatened to conduct terror attacks against nations which have contributed troops to AMISOM forces in Somalia.
The fact that Ms. Kagezi was not provided with adequate protection despite the terror warnings proves that the security services of Uganda exhibit laxity – a component that would allow al Shabaab to infiltrate the nation.
Al Qaeda recently created the al Muhajiroun terror network to act as its arm in East Africa. Likewise, the al Hijra terror group has also recruited Ugandans, and it is quite probable that it has also established terror cells in Uganda.
Al Shabaab has suffered a series of setbacks in Somalia, and its parent organization – al Qaeda – is currently under pressure from Houthis and Arab forces in Yemen. Moreover, internal factionalism with the Somalia-based terror group threatens to splinter the jihadist organization.
States should ensure basic protection of high security risk officials.
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