Security has been tightened along the Kasese-Katwe road in response to a violent attack that occurred on Tuesday evening, resulting in the tragic deaths of two tourists and their Ugandan tour guide. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) confirmed to this website, the nationalities of the victims as British and South African, but their names remain undisclosed.
The killers, whom security suspects are Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels, also set ablaze a vehicle owned by Gorilla and Wildlife Safaris, a local tour company. According to available information, the attackers ambushed the vehicle at Lake Nyamununka along the Kasese-Katwe road. Kasese Resident District Commissioner Lt. Joe Walusimbi reported that combined security forces are actively pursuing the individuals responsible for this incident.
In the aftermath of the attack, security checkpoints have been established, and patrols initiated along the Kasese-Katwe road. In several areas of Kasese town, businesses have been advised to close early for added precaution.
Bashir Hangi, the spokesperson for the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), confirmed their collaboration with security agencies to determine the sequence of events leading up to the attack and to identify the perpetrators. He urged the public to remain patient and allow the investigative process to proceed.
Hangi emphasized that the parks remain accessible to tourists, and UWA will continue to work closely with security agencies to ensure visitors’ safety. John Bosco Kananura, the Katwe Kabatoro Town Council LC III Chairperson, disclosed that local security agencies have also stepped up their operations and encouraged communities to report any suspicious individuals within their midst.
This attack is part of a series of incidents involving suspected rebels from the ADF who have carried out several atrocities in the recent past. Just last week, on a Friday, suspected ADF rebels ambushed a truck, resulting in the loss of two lives and the vehicle being set on fire. The attack occurred in Katholhu village along the Kasese-Mpondwe border highway, less than a kilometer from Rusese barracks. In June, another attack by suspected ADF rebels took place at Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Secondary School, leading to the tragic loss of at least 43 lives, including 37 students.
