Head teachers across Fort Portal City and Kabarole District have called on the Ugandan government to deploy armed security personnel at schools, citing heightened insecurity in the Rwenzori Subregion following a spate of deadly attacks over the weekend.
The coordinated assaults, which struck Kasese, Bundibugyo, and Fort Portal districts, left at least 30 attackers dead and around 60 suspects arrested. Among the casualties were one Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer and a female soldier, who were killed when attackers raided army detachments in Malindi and Kakuka, Bundibugyo District, setting several soldiers’ homes ablaze before fleeing.
Schools were not spared. The assailants targeted Nyakasura School and Canon Apollo institutions in Fort Portal City, while police facilities in Kasese were also attacked, resulting in injuries to officers and significant property damage.
During a joint security meeting on Monday, education leaders highlighted the growing vulnerability of schools to such attacks, stressing that limited school budgets make it difficult to hire private security personnel.
The Head Teacher of Kitumba Secondary School, Elizabeth Bagaya, emphasized the urgency of government intervention. “If our government can send soldiers to the Democratic Republic of Congo to fight the ADF rebels, why can’t they deploy soldiers to protect our children here? Our schools are at risk,” she said.
Teachers also raised concerns about the geographical vulnerabilities of some institutions. Yoweri Asiimwe from Holy Guard Kasenda Secondary School noted, “Some schools are surrounded by thick forests and swamps, which could provide hiding places for attackers. We cannot afford armed guards—it’s costly. The government must take responsibility and deploy UPDF soldiers to protect us.”
Canon Apollo Core PTC Principal Hebert Mukasa echoed these concerns, saying anxiety remains high despite the recent stabilization of the situation. “We request a permanent army detachment near our school. We are surrounded by a swamp where attackers could still be hiding,” he said.
However, local law enforcement acknowledged the challenges of stationing armed personnel at every school. Fort Portal North Division Police Commander Pius Bihembo explained, “We don’t have enough personnel to station at every school. We are conducting joint patrols day and night and assessing all public spaces for potential threats.”
Deputy Resident District Commissioner Emmanuel Businge clarified that Uganda’s military deployment in the DRC is aimed at blocking rebel infiltration, while the government continues to strengthen domestic security measures.
Meanwhile, Local Government Minister Victoria Businge Rusoke advised schools to prioritize hiring security personnel within their current budgets. “Every time you increase fees, factor in the cost of hiring armed guards. While army detachments are a long-term strategy for some schools, immediate safety measures must be implemented,” she said.
As the Rwenzori Subregion works to recover from the weekend’s violence, education leaders and local authorities continue to weigh immediate protection measures against longer-term security strategies to safeguard students and staff.