BY ZALIMON BASIGHALHA (GOOD LUCK)
Some institutions of learning situated along the Mpondwe – DRC border in Kasese district have continued registering a decline in the students’ enrolment following the recent separate attacks by suspected ADF rebels in the area.
On the night of June 16, 2023, suspected ADF rebels attacked a privately owned Mpondwe- Lhubiriha Secondary School in Nyabugando Ward of Mpondwe –Lhubiriha Town Council in Kasese District, a few kilometers from the border leaving 43 people dead of whom 38 were students at the said school.
On October 14, 2023, assailants suspected to be ADF rebels waylaid a truck carrying onions at Katholhu in Nyakiyumbu sub-county and killed two occupants.
On October 17, 2023, three people including two tourists who were on their honeymoon and their driver were also killed by suspected ADF rebels at Katwe in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
However, on November 02, 2023, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) said it has captured the head of a militia squad and killing some rebels who are blamed for the various separate attacks in Kasese district.
Additionally, a related incident occurred on Tuesday night at Nkoko in Kitswamba Sub-county where one person named Betty Biira was killed by yet unknown assailants and injured her nephew, a 14- year-old Harrison Masereka who managed to escape from them. According to Masereka, the assailants who were five in number were in possession of guns, pangas and an axe.
Now, some of the Head teachers of schools located along the Mpondwe border have stressed that the attacks have caused fear among the students and parents with some resorting to changing schools hence leading to a reduction in the enrolment.
On Monday this week, Mr. Julius Maate, the Head teacher at Nyabugando Baptist Vocational Secondary School in Nyabugando Ward reported to the Kasese Deputy RDC that following the attack by suspected ADF rebels on a sister school in the neighborhood; his institution has registered a decline in the enrolment of students.
Today, Mr. Yokonia Bwambale, the Head teacher at Bwera secondary School in Mpondwe- Lhubiriha Town Council reported to the parents during their P.T.A meeting that the students’ enrolment at his school has reduced from 1,411 to 1,143.
Mr. Bwambale attributed the reduction in the number of learners to the alleged insecurity at the border that has created fear among the whole community.
He, on the other hand, commended the government of Uganda for a quick response rendered to the school through the deployment of security personnel to protect the students during day and night hours.
As an alternative security measure, the Head teacher told the parents that the school administration plans to erect a perimeter wall around the school premises.
But the Kasese Deputy RDC in-charge of Bukonzo County, Lt. Maate Magwara has since assured the community at the border that government will install early warning systems at schools and around their areas so that they detect suspected criminals as a way of restoring peace and promoting security.
ENDS