President Museveni Urges Vigilance Amid ADF Terror Threats, Confirms Successes in Counteroperations

Rwakitura, January 1, 2024 – In his New Year address from his country home in Rwakitura, President Yoweri Museveni emphasized the need for heightened vigilance among Ugandans in the face of persistent security threats posed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a DRC-based terrorist group.

President Museveni urged citizens to remain cautious, stating, “Bazukulu, anybody approaching you and wanting you to keep his bag or package, insist that he opens it.” He further advised, “If you see anything suspicious, such as a mobile telephone in the middle of the package, call the Police. All Hotel and Lodge owners insist on seeing electronic identity cards of everybody and record them.”

The ADF has been held responsible for a series of attacks within Uganda, with the government accusing them of the recent killing of 13 people in Kamwenge district, western Uganda, in December 2023.

Highlighting the government’s commitment to eradicating the ADF threat, President Museveni disclosed, “We are continuing to destroy the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorists from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) using, mainly, air-attacks because they are faster and can reach everywhere.”

He acknowledged the challenges posed by the lengthy and porous border between Uganda and the DRC, emphasizing the importance of thorough intelligence and internal mobilization to counteract the terrorist threat.

President Museveni also reported recent successes in the fight against the ADF, confirming the neutralization of a group of suspected militants known as Njovu – Kamusu. “The group of Njovu – Kamusu of 10 that entered from Congo some few months ago has now remained with 3 people, if not two,” he stated. Museveni revealed that Njovu was captured, Kamusu was killed two days ago, and the others were eliminated in different engagements.

Despite the challenges posed by the terrorist group, the President assured Ugandans, saying, “We are hitting them so hard. They will soon run out of people to send for bombing. In the meantime, vigilance.”

In addition to addressing security concerns, President Museveni outlined his government’s focus on reducing the costs of doing business to enhance the competitiveness of Uganda’s products in both domestic and export markets. He emphasized the importance of lowering costs related to electricity, water, transport, and the cost of borrowing money from banks.

“As we lower these costs to rational and realistic levels, we will be able to correctly deal with the issue of the salaries of workers. Otherwise, we are pushing for all-round industrialization, using our raw materials from agriculture; forestry; fisheries; minerals; etc.,” President Museveni declared, outlining the broader economic agenda for the coming year.