Hamza Lyavala told the General Court Martial that Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga allegedly organised bomb operations at Munyonyo Martyrs Basilica and Kalerwe Market to attract attention from his superiors.
A former member of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) who later became a security informer has accused Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, a former special operations director in the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), of orchestrating two purported bomb plots in Kampala in 2025.
Hamza Lyavala, 33, a teacher and former ADF member, told the General Court Martial in Makindye that Byaruhanga recruited him and a colleague, Hadil Walusansa, to plan and execute the operations at Munyonyo Martyrs Basilica and Kalerwe Market.
Testifying in Luganda, Lyavala alleged that Byaruhanga wanted to stage the operations to attract public attention and demonstrate the value of his intelligence work after becoming dissatisfied with his superiors.
The allegations form part of the case against Byaruhanga, who has denied the charges. Two other former security informers, Lyavala and Walusansa, were convicted of murder on October 5 after pleading guilty to their roles in the incidents.
Lyavala told the court that he initially belonged to the ADF but later broke away after the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). He said he and other defectors, reportedly led by Isaac Thomas, son of former ADF leader Jamilu Mukulu, formed a splinter group known as the Pan Ugandan Liberation Initiative (PULI).
He subsequently renounced terrorism and sought government pardon.
Lyavala testified that he contacted Twalaha Batamubze, who arranged a meeting with Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda. He was later taken to President Museveni, who pardoned him and his group.
The group was subsequently placed under the supervision of Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, according to the witness.
Lyavala said he was later recruited as a state informer within ADF ranks and reported to Kandiho. He claimed to have helped security agencies dismantle several ADF cells, including PULI cells suspected of attacking police stations.
“I led CMI to the arrest of over four groups (PULI cells), recovery of pistols, two AK-47 rifles and one PK machine gun,” he told the court.
He said he was subsequently placed under Maj Gen James Birungi and later Maj Gen Richard Otto following changes in the intelligence leadership. He was eventually assigned to Byaruhanga as his handler.
Dispute Over Intelligence Leadership
Lyavala testified that Byaruhanga complained that Otto was ignoring his messages and no longer giving him attention.
“Afande Byaruhanga told me that whenever he sent Maj Gen Otto a message on WhatsApp, he would blue-tick it but not respond. In simple terms, Afande Byaruhanga was complaining about Maj Gen Otto,” he said.
According to the witness, Byaruhanga later asked him to contact Meddie Nkalubo, the ADF coordinator of external operations, but he declined because he feared the request could jeopardise their relationship.
The same request was reportedly made to Walusansa, who also declined.
Lyavala told the court that Byaruhanga persisted, claiming his superiors had refused to promote him and that he wanted to retaliate.
He further alleged that Byaruhanga asked him to bring two female ADF members, Summaya Byaruhanga and Azatu Sawuya, who were reportedly willing to undertake suicide missions.
Lyavala said Summaya wanted to avenge the death of her husband, Muzamiru, who was killed in Kiboga during a shootout with security officers. Azatu, he added, had expressed a desire to undertake a so-called martyrdom mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I sent the photos and audios to Meddie Nkalubo because the two women were close to the ADF, and I did not want them to consider me a traitor,” he testified.
The witness said he recorded audio statements and took photographs of the women before sending them to Nkalubo and Byaruhanga.
He alleged that Byaruhanga proposed using the women in suicide bombings, an idea he opposed. Instead, Lyavala said he suggested arresting them so that security agencies could use them to trace other ADF members.
However, Byaruhanga allegedly insisted on an operation in an urban area to attract public attention and media coverage.
Munyonyo Bomb Plot
Lyavara told the court that he, Walusansa and Byaruhanga held several meetings at Growers Hotel in Namulanda along Entebbe Road to discuss the alleged operations.
He said Anthony Ssekalala, a Ugandan living in Tanzania who allegedly worked as an ADF courier linked to Nkalubo, delivered materials intended for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
“I asked Afande Byaruhanga why we were working with Ssekalala, who could report me to Nkalubo, but he told me everything was under control,” Lyavala testified.
He said he was later summoned to the hotel and handed four IEDs, two of which had already been assembled.
According to the witness, Byaruhanga subsequently drove him and others to Munyonyo Martyrs Basilica, where he met officers from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT).
Lyavala said the operation was planned for June 3, 2025, when large crowds were expected at the shrine for Martyrs Day celebrations.
“Afande Byaruhanga told me everything was set and that the mission was to be carried out in Munyonyo. He said he had been given JAAT officers to work with,” he told the court.
Under the alleged plan, Summaya was to travel on a boda boda carrying an explosive device, while JATT officers positioned themselves near the bridge leading to the shrine. Other officers reportedly moved around on motorcycles.
Lyavala said Byaruhanga had informed his superiors and the security team about an imminent suicide attack, prompting a deployment. His own role, he testified, was to monitor the area and alert officers when Summaya approached.
He said he identified Summaya as she approached on a boda boda and alerted the officers, who told him his role was complete.
Lyavala further alleged that Byaruhanga recorded videos of the deceased and said he had sent them to Otto and Birungi.
The witness said he suspected Ssekalala had detonated the explosive because he had heard him speaking to Byaruhanga by telephone and assuring him that everything was under control.
“I suspected Ssekalala detonated the IED because I did not see Summaya move her fingers, yet it required someone with a phone to detonate it,” he testified.
The prosecution has separately presented the Munyonyo incident as part of the murder case arising from the June 3, 2025, explosion in which Summaya died.
Kalerwe Operation and Death of Second Woman
Lyavala testified that another operation was planned days later, with Azatu selected for the proposed mission.
He said she was sent to conduct reconnaissance at St Balikuddembe Market, commonly known as Owino Market, and Kalerwe Market before the latter was selected as the target.
According to the witness, Byaruhanga called him to a meeting at a Total petrol station in Namasuba at about 5am on June 20, 2025, to discuss arrangements for the operation.
Lyavala said Azatu left the house where she had been staying on a boda boda and travelled to Busega, where she changed motorcycles before proceeding towards Kalerwe Market.
He testified that he alerted JATT officers stationed in Busega, who were using a drone and motorcycles to track the boda boda carrying her.
“The leader of JAAT informed Afande Byaruhanga that they were on the move. We remained at Shell Busega, and after 30 minutes, Afande Byaruhanga asked us to go to Kalerwe Market, but we found the area had been cordoned off by police,” he told the court.
Lyavala said Byaruhanga instructed his driver to pick him up and take him to the scene.
On arrival, he found Azatu dead. He later learnt, he claimed, that Byaruhanga had ordered her killing after Walusansa questioned why she had been shot.
“I found Azatu was dead. I later found out it was Afande Byaruhanga who had ordered the killing after Walusansa asked him why he shot and he replied terrorists deserve to be killed,” he testified.
The prosecution has previously told the court that Azatu was shot dead by security officers when she arrived at Kalerwe Market on June 21, 2025, after which the explosive device she was carrying was detonated.
The testimony adds to the allegations surrounding the two incidents, which prosecutors have described as staged operations rather than genuine terrorist attacks.
Byaruhanga has denied the charges against him. The allegations made by Lyavara remain subject to the court's assessment alongside the other evidence presented in the proceedings.