UGANDA: Bishop Organize Five-Day Prayer Over 40 Learners Killed in Rebel Attack.
Minister and The RDC at the School
Masereka Peter
President Yoweri Museveni has said the suspected operators of the Allied Democratic Force Rebels who attacked a school and killed over forty people in Mpondwe-Lhubiriha town council, Kasese district will regret their action.
On 16th June 2023 night, an armed gang suspected to be ruminants of the Allied for Democratic force [ADF] overran Peter Hunt currently known to be Mpondwe community secondary school, killed over forty learners, about three neighbouring villagers, others nursing wonders at Bwera General hospital and abducted about six others.
In a condolence message delivered by Hon. Chrysostom John Muyingo the State Minister for Higher Education, President Museveni was disappointed that the so-called fighters of the ADF were targeting soft targets like the innocent learners and some members of the community.
According to Homemaking, President Museveni who said government would condole each of the affected families with five Million shillings, called for neighborhood watch and vigilance among the local community members against suspected rebels he insisted will be arrested and prosecuted.
Mrs. Geneva Ithungu, neighbor to the affected school said they had first mistaken the rebels for common thieves until they began thanking God in Arabic and Kiswahili languages for what they call a successful revenge they said was dedicated to President Museveni who had gone to interrupt their peace in the DRC.
Mr. Stephen Muhindo, a survivor said whereas they had had their colleagues calling for help as the suspects cut some learners in the neighboring dormitory before the selfish operators turned to their hall they declined to open.
Stephen said on realizing danger after a number of brutal killings, he jumped and hid under the dead bodies until the suspected rebels left the scene of crime.
Another student survivor, Mr. Moses Kato who said he jumped over a double deck before sneaking, revealed that Amos, a learner was killed on failing to tell the rebels if he was a Muslim.
Meanwhile, Rt. Rev. Francis Aquirinus Kibira Bishop Diocese of Kasese called for a sense of humanity among the people of God so as to save lives.
Bishop Kibira in his condolence message broadcast on the Diocesan Catholic radio station {Kasese Guide Radio} called for five days of prayers at 3pm from Monday to Friday 23rd June 2023 praying the departed souls and families
Bishop Kibira who had gone to condole with Peter Hunter currently known as Mpondwe Community Secondary School and the community of Mpondwe-Lhubiriha in Kasese district after the attack by suspected rebels, was concerned about the brutal killing of the innocent learners.
The Bishop prayed that security does a good job as before to rescue the abductees and continue protecting Ugandans.
He asked the community to be focused to saving and protecting life through promoting love for a neighbor and being security conscience since they at the board.
Mr. Selevest Mapoze, the local council three chairperson for Mpondwe-Lhubiriha town council called for calm among the locals who must be conscious about strange faces but work with the UPDF that has been backed up to intensify her operations.
By Tuesday 20th June 2023 About 20 people including the headmaster and director of Mpondwe-Lhubiriha secondary school have been arrested following the attack on their school by suspected ADF rebels on Friday night leaving at least 40 students dead.
The attack saw a group of suspected ADF fighters raid the school at night before burning the girls’ dormitory but also leaving a bomb into the boys’ dormitory.
Updating the country about the attack, Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said as part of the investigations, security has arrested 20 people for questioning.
The arrest of suspected collaborators follows reports by the UPDF Mountain Division Commander Gen Dick Olum that the attackers had spent two days in the area prior to the attack and that they could have been helped out by some of the locals.
He also noted that the attackers could have been helped by locals to carry out reconnaissance and identifying their target by getting prior knowledge of the geography of the school.
Maj. Gen Olum wondered why some local were not vigilant enough to report about the suspects who carried pangas and iron bars, some in military uniform and civilian wear, mistaking them to be UPDF officers on operation.
The First Lady who also doubles as the Education Minister, Janet Kataaha Museveni in a press briefing on Saturday said the school could have been attacked by people hired by rivals claiming ownership of the school.
She cited a rivalry between the host community and the Canadian sponsors of the school.
The Education Minister’s claims therefore lend credence to the arrest of the school headmaster and director by security to further aid in investigations.
President Museveni on Sunday revealed the UPDF would deploy more troops to fight ADF rebels, whose group has been designated by the US as a terrorist outfit but was also stated by the Islamic State as its affiliate in Central Africa.
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