Kasese parents ask govt to rescue missing children
What you need to know:
- Relatives of learners killed or abducted on June 16 are anxious about rescue efforts.
Parents and relatives of students abducted by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in Kasese District have urged the government to accelerate its rescue mission.
The rebels attacked Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Secondary School on June 16, killing 37 of the 63 learners.
ACP Andrew Mubiru, the director of forensic services at the Uganda Police Force, who led the team on Tuesday to deliver the bodies of 11 students to the parents, said six bodies did not match the DNA samples provided by the parents, and that more samples would be taken from other relatives to identify the bodies
Mr Mubiru said they are testing fresh DNA samples for the six bodies, currently at the Bwera hospital mortuary.
Ms Juliet Masika, the mother of Surprise Yunasi, who is missing, has urged the government to expedite the search and rescue exercise.
“I want my son dead or alive because this is the only way to ease my heartache. I would rather look at his grave than live in this darkness and sorrow. I only have two children, and Yunasi was my elder son,” she said.
Ms Jovia Masika, the elder sister of Juliet Biira Asiimwe, expressed her sister’s aspirations of becoming a doctor and hoped for positive DNA results.
“The initial DNA results yielded no answers, and yesterday (Tuesday), the police took more samples from our family members, including us, the siblings. I pray that we receive positive results to bring some peace to our hearts,”she said.
“However, if all results come out negative, this government should explore all possible means to search the deep mountains and valleys of the DRC to find those still missing, including Juliet, as I suspect that these rebels took them to the jungles of the DRC,” said Ms Masika.
Mr Aganatia Syaipuma Bwambale, a resident of Kighenge Village in Kitabu Sub-county, is awaiting updates about his son Rogers Muhindo.
With hopes dashed, he has taken the initiative to ask police to take samples of his sisters and two other sons to determine if Muhindo is among the six unidentified bodies at the mortuary.
He has also appealed to the security agencies to expedite the process of identifying the bodies.
Mr Bwambale said his family was distraught about the matter.
Ms Eresi Mayani, a resident of Nyakaina Cell in Kisinga Town Council and a mother of Juliet Biira Asiimwe, who is missing, said the government should extend support to the families of the missing children.
“Government provided Shs5 million to the families whose children were found dead. It is my humble plea that they also consider us, the parents who have not yet recovered the bodies of our children, since we had no involvement in the attack on that school,” she said.
On Tuesday, the State minister for ICT, Mr Godfrey Baluku, said the government would give Shs5 million to each of the 11 families who received bodies of students whose DNA matched with their parents. The money was to assist in the funeral arrangements.
Mr Remegio Kule, a resident of Rwenguhyo I Cell in Kisinga Town Council, said his family had already spent more than Shs3 million since their son, Surprise Yunasi, went missing.
Missing students
• Surprise Yunasi
•Juliet Biira Asiimwe
• Edgar Bwambale Athwanzire
•Rogers Muhindo
•Biira Arsneti
*Compiled by Maureen Biira, Alex Ashaba, and Jerome Kule Bistwande
