President Yoweri K Museveni has expressed sadness and outrage over the tragic killing of two recently married foreign tourists and a Ugandan guide at the Queen Elizabeth National Park on October 17, 2023.
In a statement released via his official twitter account, the president condemned the ADF rebel attack as a cowardly act of terrorism that claimed the lives of the newlywed couple. He assured the nation that the terrorists responsible for this heinous act will face justice.
However, the President acknowledged that retribution alone could not mend the broken hearts and bring back the lost lives.
He emphasized the importance of supporting the victims’ families, particularly the newlyweds who had chosen Uganda as their honeymoon destination out of 193 countries.
“The Ugandan High Commission in the UK will reach out to the families and provide the necessary assistance during this tragic time.” he said
In his message, President Museveni commended the Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), the Police, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and intelligence agencies for their relentless efforts in eradicating the ADF and preventing further attacks. He noted that significant progress had been made in eliminating the ADF threat.
The President also acknowledged that there were lapses in handling the remnants of the ADF, which led to this tragic incident. He pointed out that UWA had been responsible for guarding tourists within the park, but the tourists were arriving and departing individually, creating a vulnerability that was exploited by the terrorists.
President Museveni also mentioned the need to enhance the tracking methods used by the UPDF to pursue fugitive groups from Congo. He alluded to ongoing discussions with the military to adopt more reliable tracking techniques.
In closing, the President expressed his determination to defeat the terrorists, drawing parallels to the successful campaigns against Joseph Kony, cattle rustlers in Karamoja, and other criminal elements. He extended his condolences to the victims’ families, stating, “May their souls rest in eternal peace.”On Tuesday afternoon, the happy couple was attacked at Katwe-Kabatooro murram road, and shot dead alongside their Ugandan driver. The car belonging to Gorilla and Wildlife safari company was later burned along with all documents.