In Kasese District, local leaders have called upon the government to reintroduce local vigilante groups and provide basic military training to confront the challenges posed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels. This request comes in the wake of recent events where suspected ADF members killed two foreign tourists and their Ugandan tour guide, setting their vehicle on fire afterwards.
The ADF rebels have been involved in various incidents targeting the local population, including a major attack in June at Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Secondary School that resulted in the loss of 43 lives, with 37 of them being students.
Sunday Peter Kakule, the chairperson of Nyakiyumbu Sub-county, expressed the belief that establishing local vigilante groups would be an effective strategy, given the numerous porous border points that the ADF rebels exploit to launch attacks on Kasese communities. He pointed out that during the ADF insurgencies in 1996, village vigilante groups played a vital role in providing information to security personnel. He made these remarks during a stakeholders meeting held in Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town Council.
Similarly, Steven Mbera, the chairperson of Nyakatonzi Sub-county, highlighted the shortage of security posts in many sub-counties and the understaffing of those already in place.
Gregory Limbo, the chairperson of Bwera Sub-county, suggested that these local groups could collaborate with the police to enhance nighttime security. He also called for security forces to cooperate with community leaders in raising awareness and preparedness, including providing items such as whistles to alert the community in case of attacks.
State Minister for Information and ICT, Godfrey Kabyanga, expressed support for the idea but recommended that these groups, for the time being, act as intelligence agents without being armed. He expressed confidence in the strength of the national army to effectively address any insurgency in the country.
Kasese Resident District Commissioner, Lt Joe Walusimbi, cautioned against politicizing the security situation in the area and urged LC III leaders to submit monthly reports from their local meetings to assist in compiling national security reports.
