In mid-2019, a boda boda rider named Victor Bwire Odede (also known as Abdulaziz) was arrested for his alleged involvement in a plot to bomb the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). Reports indicate that Bwire was recruited to carry out the planned attack and was instructed to take a road trip between Nairobi and Elwak town in Mandera to observe how security personnel would treat him on each leg of the journey. He was then tasked with surveying the KICC and collecting information on the building’s security details, including the number of doors, loading zones, and CCTV cameras.
Bwire reportedly opened three Facebook accounts under pseudonyms, such as Kezia Frozen, which he used to collect data and pass on to a man identified as Mohammed Yare Abdalla, who was based in Somalia. When Bwire was arrested, he allegedly confessed to opening these social media accounts and receiving instructions from the Somali-based terror group, Al-Shabaab. He also allegedly confessed to getting briefings from two masterminds of the intended attack, Mohamed Abdalla.
In court, Bwire defended himself, stating that Abdalla was a sugar merchant and that the trips to Elwak and Moyale were meant to see if the police would “disturb” him on the way. He also claimed that Abdalla wanted to hold a Somali cultural event at the KICC in 2019 and was seeking details of the venue.
On Monday, the court found Bwire guilty of conspiracy to commit a terrorist attack and collecting information to commit a terrorist attack at the KICC. The prosecution asked for more time to file an impact report before sentencing, and the case will be mentioned on February 8.
