After the massacre of Lhubiriha Secondary School students in Mpondwe,Kasese District on Saturday 17 June 2023, whose death toll numbers keep rising from 20s to 40s with more injuries registered.

The Uganda Peoples Congress’UPC’ party has called on the government of Uganda through UPDF to engage omusinga of Rwenzururu Kingdom Charles Mumbere who was recently set free from court to negotiate peace and offer amnesty to the misled Youths in ADF activities in DRC to return home and be rehabilitated.

This is a tragedy of unbearable magnitude and very sad experience! UPC sends heartfelt sympathies to the families, school, community and government.

while addressing the press on Wednesday UPC spokesperson Sharon Ayat Arach strongly condemned such attacks on innocent Ugandans.

“This is a tragedy of unbearable magnitude and very sad experience! UPC sends heartfelt sympathies to the families,school,community and government”,she said.

Arach recalled that in 1998, the same region experienced a similar attack at Kichwamba Technical College with heavy casualties registered and destruction of property.

UPC acknowledged Government’s military presence in the area in a bid to put to an end of these rebel attacks.

However, the Government should look into these rebel attacks affecting Rwenzori sub region in a broader context, restore hope and guarantee the security of our people not only in Kasese, but the entire country. Other means would be exploring engagements and peace talks where necessary as it was the case with Northern Uganda.

Since 1986 -2005 with key rebel outfits bogging down the National Army. The Holy Spirit movement of ‘prophetess” Alice Lakwena who was eventually overpowered.

Then, Lord’s Resistance Amy (LRA) led by Joseph Kony sprung up to the scene. People were removed from their homes and temporarily put in Internally Displaced peoples Camps (IDPCs),which experience was not good as the IDPCs lacked basic social facilities. Several

peace initiatives were embarked on. Much as they were not successful, they gave an experience to build on.

Eventually, when Juba peace talks were held between the government of Uganda and LRA soon after 2006 polls, the entire world followed closely and the outcome was the return of peace to Northern Uganda which saw the LRA army disbanded.

In this case, the winner was Uganda as the northern war affected the entire country through increased military spending and neglecting other sectors as well as suspending development projects especially in that region (northern).

Having gone through this experience in Northern Uganda, let us not only invest in a military solution, but also look at other means like peace talks.

However,this is not to condone such acts, but a bid to bring the terror to an end.

UPC appreciates the government’s timely assistance to the families that are affected by such predicaments like rebel attacks, landslides, floods ,breaks. However, the usual assistance of 5 million by Government to bereaved families and less than that as medical to the injured ones is insufficient and not reflective of the day to socio-economic conditions. We are experiencing a high cost of living, prices of goods and services are escalating. Medication is equally very expensive. The assistance should there fore be revised upwards