Two Years On: Remembering the Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Secondary School Attack

By Obed Kithende

Kasese, June 16, 2025 – Today marks two years since the tragic terrorist attack on Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Secondary School that left about 45 people dead, including 38 students and 7 community members. The dark day of June 16, 2023, remains etched in the memory of the school and the surrounding community in Nyabugando Ward, Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council, Kasese District.

In what is remembered as one of the most horrifying days in the area’s history, militants of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) stormed the school and carried out a brutal massacre. Some of the students were killed in cold blood, while others were burnt beyond recognition. The attackers also extended their atrocities to Nyabugando village, which borders the school, killing additional residents.

The charred bodies of the victims were subjected to DNA testing to facilitate proper identification and ensure that families could give their loved ones a dignified burial. However, to date, three of the bodies remain unclaimed due to complications with DNA sample matching. In addition, 11 students abducted during the attack are still missing.

Hon. Godfrey Baluku Kabbyanga Kiime, Minister of State for National Guidance, speaking to this publication  at Shiloh Hotel in Kasese Municipality, extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. He revealed that all 13 ADF rebels linked to the massacre had been dealt with—12 were killed in subsequent security operations, and their commander, known as ‘Njovu,’ was captured alive.

The minister further stated that since the attack, government security agencies have significantly intensified patrols and surveillance along the Uganda–Democratic Republic of Congo borderline to prevent similar incidents in the future.

In a gesture of compassion and solidarity, Rt. Rev. Francis Aquirinus Kibira, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kasese, took the initiative to support at least ten survivors of the attack. The students, gathered from different families and backgrounds, were offered a fresh start at Kasese Secondary School in the heart of Kasese Municipality.

Mr. Joseph Nzukwa, Head Teacher of Kasese Secondary School, noted that rehabilitating the traumatized students has been a gradual process. Many of the survivors arrived deeply affected, requiring emotional and psychological support to transition back into a learning environment.

He appealed to both government and non-governmental organizations, as well as well-wishers, to extend further support to the survivors and the institution that has welcomed them.

As Kasese District and Uganda at large commemorate this sorrowful anniversary, the memory of the lives lost remains a reminder of the urgent need for continued vigilance, community support, and collective resilience in the face of terror.