Muwonge first Ugandan convicted of terrorism over power vandalism

What the report says

Ibrah Muwonge, also known as Kimbowa Ibrah, has become the first person in Uganda convicted of terrorism in a case tied to deliberate vandalism of electricity infrastructure. According to The Independent Uganda, the International Crimes Division of the High Court convicted him on two terrorism counts and one count of terrorism financing after he entered a plea bargain. The case was heard in Kampala, and the court imposed a 10-year prison term for terrorism and five years for terror financing, to run concurrently.

The conviction arose from attacks carried out in late 2022 against key power lines and pylons in central Uganda. The reported damage affected transmission routes including Owen Falls–Lugogo, Bujagali–Kawanda, Owen Falls–Namanve and Kawanda–Kapeka, leading to major outages. The disruptions also affected water supply, health services, communications, industry, education and financial services, and prompted the government to bring in an emergency thermal power plant at Namanve to help supply the Kampala area.

Prosecutors said Muwonge helped lead a group they linked to the Allied Democratic Forces and used online messaging to recruit youths, coordinate the vandalism and provide funding for logistics and payments. The court also heard mobile-phone evidence and testimony from prosecution witnesses before the plea bargain. The judge considered the premeditated nature of the damage and the need for deterrence, while also noting Muwonge’s guilty plea, remorse and family responsibilities in mitigation.