By Jamila Kemigisa
In a move to address a long-standing tragedy, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed the Ministry of Finance to compensate families of students who were brutally killed in the 1998 Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorist attack on Kichwamba Technical College in Kabarole District.
In an official letter dated February 24, 2025, addressed to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, President Museveni acknowledged receiving a request for compensation, noting that legal limitations had previously prevented the government from taking action.
“In that case, I use my powers as President for ex-gratia payment to the families. Each should be paid Shs. 15 million, given the long time since the incident happened. The Ministry of Finance should budget for this money,” Museveni stated in the letter.
The directive comes in response to a letter received on July 25, 2024, which highlighted the plight of the families who lost their children in the attack by the ADF, a notorious rebel group that has terrorized Uganda and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo for decades.
The 1998 Kichwamba Massacre
On the night of June 8, 1998, ADF rebels raided Kichwamba Technical College, setting dormitories on fire while students were asleep. The gruesome attack resulted in the death of over 80 students, with many others abducted and taken into the rebel ranks. Survivors recounted horrifying scenes of dormitories engulfed in flames, with students trapped inside, unable to escape.
The attack was one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in Uganda’s history, marking a dark chapter in the country’s fight against insurgent groups. The ADF, originally founded in the early 1990s with the goal of establishing an Islamic state in Uganda, launched several attacks across western Uganda before being pushed into the Democratic Republic of Congo by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
For over 26 years, the families of the victims have been seeking justice and support from the government. While some forms of assistance were provided in the past, no direct financial compensation had been granted until now. The President’s latest directive provides a long-overdue relief to these families.
The ADF remains a security threat in the region despite efforts by the UPDF and regional forces to dismantle its operations. In recent years, Uganda has intensified joint military operations with the Democratic Republic of Congo to root out ADF strongholds in the eastern DRC.
President Museveni has repeatedly vowed to eliminate the rebel group and ensure Uganda remains secure.
