Headmaster and Director among 20 Arrested for Kasese Massacre

Following the attack on Lhubirira Secondary School in Mpondwe by suspected ADF rebels, a total of 20 individuals, including the headmaster and director, have been arrested. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of at least 40 students, involved the ADF fighters raiding the school and indiscriminately firing into the girls' dormitory while also detonating a bomb in the boys' dormitory. The arrests were made as part of ongoing investigations into the incident. The UPDF Mountain Division Commander, Gen Dick Olum, suggested that the attackers may have received assistance from locals who helped them with reconnaissance and identifying the targets within the school. The First Lady, who is also the Education Minister, Janet Kataaha Museveni, speculated that the attack could be linked to a rivalry between the host community and the Canadian sponsors of the school. The police spokesperson confirmed that among the 42 deceased individuals, there were 37 students, along with the school watchman and a 96-year-old resident from a nearby village. The police have examined 25 bodies, handing over 23 to their immediate family members, while two bodies have been identified but not yet claimed. The spokesperson described the attack as barbaric and inhumane, and emphasized the country's commitment to standing together against terrorism. The pursuit of the attackers by the UPDF is ongoing, and President Museveni announced the deployment of additional troops to combat the ADF rebels, designated as a terrorist group by the US and affiliated with the Islamic State in Central Africa.