KASESE . There is visible heavy deployment of security forces across the Rwenzori Sub-region following last Saturday’s coordinated attacks by machete -wielding assailants that left at least 30 residents killed .
More than 60 suspected connected to the heinous attacks have since been arrested.
The attackers launched simultaneous assaults on military and police installations in Kasese, Bundibugyo, and Fort Portal.
More security personnel have been deployed along the Uganda–Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border.
The attackers also killed one UPDF officer and a woman at the army detachments of Malindi and Kakuka in Sindira sub-county, Bundibugyo district. They set several soldiers’ houses ablaze before fleeing to an unknown destination.
The coordinated assaults targeted schools such as Nyakasura School and Canon Apollo in Fort Portal City, police barracks on Kilembe Road in Kasese Town, and another police post in Rugendabara–Kikongo Town Council in Kasese District. Also, an undisclosed number of other police officers in Kasese were injured.
The Bundibugyo Resident District Commissioner and head of the district security committee, Maj Jones Mugabirwe, said: “We have made several deployments, and additional soldiers have been sent from the Mountain Division Barracks in Muhooti, Fort Portal. The situation is under control now. During the attacks, we did not lose any person from the community.”
He revealed that by Monday morning, security forces had arrested 15 suspected attackers, while two were killed by security forces on Saturday.
Maj Mugabirwe said preliminary investigations show that some of the arrested suspects are natives of Bundibugyo, Bunyoro, and the DR Congo.
“We are yet to find out their real motive. Those we arrested told us they were sent to steal guns from the army barracks and to construct a palace for one of the clan leaders in Bundibugyo, known as Mugazi, whom we are yet to arrest. Fortunately, they did not succeed with their mission.”
He said, despite the tension, he reported that learners in the affected areas were able to sit for their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) under tight security presence. Maj Mugabirwe urged residents who had fled their homes to return, assuring them of continued protection and surveillance across the district.
In Fort Portal City, security forces have maintained a strong presence, especially in North Division, where attackers reportedly attempted to target Nyakasura School and Canon Apollo Core Primary Teachers’ College (PTC).
The attackers were repulsed before reaching the institutions, and since Saturday, security patrols have been intensified both day and night to deter any further threats.
According to security authorities, four attackers were shot dead at the main gate of Canon Apollo Core Primary Teachers’ College (PTC),while two others were killed at Ibonde II Trading Centre, near Bishop Balya College. At Ibonde Trading Centre, on Fort Portal-Bundibugyo Road, two suspects were lynched by a mob.
One of the lynched suspects was pulled out of a vehicle travelling from Bundibugyo and beaten to death by a mob. Security personnel later arrested six more suspects who had been intercepted in vehicles travelling from Bundibugyo.
On November 3, during a joint security meeting for Kabarole District and Fort Portal with head teachers from both government and private schools, authorities urged educational institutions to enhance their internal security.
The Fort Portal North Division Police Commander, Mr Bihembo Pius, said that due to limited manpower, security forces would prioritise deployment in high-risk areas while encouraging schools to hire armed guards.
“We don’t have enough forces to deploy at every school. If we concentrate only on schools, we shall leave the community vulnerable and exposed to these attackers. We are conducting joint patrols day and night in all areas where we suspect these people could be hiding.”
He added that the police, together with other agencies, are assessing public areas such as markets and bars to determine additional security measures.
“After our assessment, we shall issue new guidelines regulating the operation of public places and the time they should close. We condemn the mob killings that have occurred. When suspects are killed, we lose valuable information that could help our investigations. Those we have arrested are already helping us with leads.”
The principal of Canon Apollo Core PTC, Mr Hebert Mukasa, said no students or staff were harmed, adding that the situation at the school has since stabilised. “Currently, the situation at the school is calm.
However, we request that a permanent army detachment be established near our school because we are surrounded by a swamp where we suspect some of the attackers could be hiding. Such a deployment would enhance security for both our college and Nyakasura School,” Mr Mukasa said.
The Bukuku Community Secondary School head teacher, Ms Jackline Katuhebwe, confirmed that one of her students on Saturday was arrested by security personnel on suspicion of involvement in the attacks.
“Our student, Innocent Bwambale, who is in Senior Three, was arrested. We don’t know his whereabouts. He was picked from the garden in the village, and although we reported the matter, we have not received any feedback,” she said.
Rtd Lt Joe Walusimbi, the Kasese RDC, said by Monday , security operatives had killed 20 suspected attackers, up from nine reported on the first day, and 40 others arrested to assist in investigations. Lt Walusimbi said the situation in Kasese is calm now as people are going about their work.
The Buhuhira Sub-county chairperson, Mr Musale Hudson, said out of the 20 suspected attackers killed in Kasese, four have been identified as residents of his area.
“These were all adults with families. The community is still shocked that they were involved. People are still angry. On Saturday, they killed two other non-resident suspects who had been intercepted in the area,” he said.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kampala on Monday, the Uganda Police Force spokesperson, Mr Rusoke Kituuma, said security operations in the Rwenzori sub-region are ongoing, with updates being received daily.
“As the police spokesperson, I am not yet ready to provide detailed statistics because we are still compiling data from ongoing operations. Security agencies are conducting intensive searches and interrogations, and we are receiving valuable leads…What I can confirm is that several arrests have been made,” he said.