Just In: Fear And Tension Grip Rwenzori As Armed Men Attack Police Barracks In Kasese, Bundibugyo

By Gad Masereka

The Rwenzori sub-region was on edge Saturday morning following a series of deadly attacks on police installations in Kasese and Bundibugyo districts that left several people feared dead and others injured.

The coordinated assaults, which began before dawn, targeted the Kasese Central Police Station, a nearby police barracks, and Rugendabara Police Post, prompting a swift and heavily armed response from security forces.

Residents of Kasese Municipality woke up to sounds of gunfire and explosions echoing across the town. Panic spread quickly as security forces sealed off sections of the municipality, urging residents to stay indoors while operations to neutralize the attackers continued. “We were startled by bursts of gunfire from the direction of the barracks,” said a resident of Kasese town who requested anonymity for safety reasons. “It lasted for several minutes before the area went silent again, but everyone remained locked inside their homes.”

Preliminary reports from security sources indicate that several suspected attackers were killed during the exchange, while others were arrested.

Two men armed with pangas were confirmed dead at the scene, and one suspected assailant was found lifeless in the compound of Grace Cathedral, a few metres from the police barracks.

A temporary shelter within the barracks compound, locally referred to as a manyata, was also set ablaze during the confrontation, sending plumes of smoke into the morning sky.

In Bundibugyo, gunfire erupted near the Field Force Unit detachment after another group of armed individuals reportedly opened fire on security officers.

The ensuing exchange left parts of the town deserted as frightened residents fled to nearby villages. Authorities in the district confirmed that an unspecified number of suspects had been arrested, while security reinforcements were dispatched to maintain calm.

Although the motive behind the attacks remains unclear, the incidents have revived security concerns in a region that has in the past grappled with sporadic rebel activity.

Senior officers who spoke on condition of anonymity said investigators were exploring links to armed groups that have previously operated along the Rwenzori ranges. “It is too early to draw conclusions, but what is clear is that these were coordinated actions intended to destabilize,” one officer said.

By mid-morning, heavily armed soldiers and police had taken control of key points across Kasese and Bundibugyo, blocking major roads leading to the affected stations.

Armoured patrols were seen moving through town centres, while investigators combed the scenes for evidence.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and police leadership were expected to release a joint statement later in the day to provide an official update on casualties and arrests.

For many residents, the attacks have reopened old wounds in a region that has struggled to shake off memories of past insurgencies.

Shops remained closed and streets nearly empty as fear lingered over what might come next. “We just want peace to return,” said a shopkeeper near Rugendabara. “Our children were terrified, and we do not know who these people are or what they want.”

As investigations continue, security officials have appealed for public cooperation and vigilance, urging communities to report any suspicious individuals or movements.

The government has yet to clarify whether the attacks were isolated incidents or part of a broader plot, but for the people of Rwenzori, the morning’s events have reignited anxiety over the fragility of peace in a region long accustomed to tension.