UGANDA: It’s now 26 Years Since Rebel Attack at Diocesan Minor Seminary of Kasese Diocese

Masereka Peter

The Vicar General for Mbarara Archdiocese Msgr. Saverinus Ndugwa has blamed deadly rebellion and other related activities to selfishness, ignorance and greedy among the actors who fail to appreciate humanity.

He encouraged the local population to be trusted ambassadors of peace and reconciliation, as well as praying for the world to nurture people who appreciate life, reconciliation and forgiveness.

In his homily while presiding over a memorial Mass that marked 26 years since the ADF attack on St. John’s the Evangelist Minor Seminary in Kasese that occurred 16^th August 1997 where about nineteen students and two workers were abducted with only eleven rescued, Msgr. Ngugwa asked the local community to emulate Christ who loves without discrimination than behaving like the Biblical selfish Cain who did not feel sorry for the sins committed.

The Vicar General for the Diocese of Kasese, Msgr. Landaus Bwambale who was the Rector of the Seminary at the time, asked the community to report to relevant authorities any suspicion of rebellion and not like the attack on them which was planned time before but treated like a mere empty rumor by the locals.

Msgr Landaus Bwambale who was the rector of the seminary by then, warned the local community against scratching the healed wounds of ADF abductees and returnees but instead create a conductive environment for them said through various conversations with the returnees and abductees they are hearted by individuals who publicly accuse and judge them according to the past experience they went through in the bush.

He said they need special care and treatment in the community than stigmatizing them for the atrocities committed outside their will.

Henry Muhindo who was the last rescued in 2008 after over 14 years in ADF captivity, asked families and communities to treat the returnees with warm hands or else, they would feel isolated and lonely to pickup with life.

Dismas Adyeeri who is currently a secondary teacher said he decided to continue with education later after his return to neutralize ignorance and illiteracy, he believes force people into subversive acts.

Curate at Ibanda Parish, Fr. Francis Mbusa, another survivor narrated how he was shot at four times and left unconscious till the following morning when the locals rushed him for treatment.

Jorojena Kabugho, a resident of Kizungu cell in Kasese Municipality one of the returnees narrated her sad story, saying they passed through a lot of untold challenges in the bush including eating grass, failure to access proper medication and forced marriages among others.

Samwel Muhindo a resident of Kitholhu Sub County in Kasese District, another returnee said the scars on his body have turned his life into misery because of the daily scratching on his body.

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