They cut my throat, thought I was dead — former ADF abductee
Aug 29, 2023
“They slaughtered my neck and thought I was dead. As they were jubilating, one realised that I was still alive upon hearing my crying,” Samuel said.
Samuel Muhindo exposing the scars on his body as a result of ADF rebels sturbing him with the knife. (Photos by Samuel Amanyire)
Samuel Amanyire
Journalist @New Vision
_____________________ Samuel Muhindo narrating his story during the memorial service of the 1997 ADF abductees at St. John's semenary
When Samuel Muhindo, a resident of Kitholhu sub-county in Kasese district, woke up on October 19, 1996, everything was cut out for the day: He would sit his final primary school exams. He would also return and continue with his life as he waited for the national examination results to be released the following year.
However, fate had other plans: Muhindo fell into an Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel ambush on his way to school to complete the Primary Leaving Examinations at Kanyatsi Primary School. He was slaughtered to near death by the rebels.
Muhindo made the revelations during a memorial service for the 1997 ADF St John's abductees held at St John’s Seminary in Kisinga sub-county, Kasese district, in early August.
How Samuel met his fate
Samuel said it required him to set off in the early morning hours when it was still dark to reach Kanyatsi Primary School, the only examination centre in the Kitholhu sub-county at the time. It was during his movement to the school that he fell into the ADF ambush. The rebels forced him to lie down and cut his throat.
“They slaughtered my neck and thought I was dead. As they were jubilating, one realised that I was still alive upon hearing my crying,” Samuel said.
“Then their commander said: 'Actually, let’s first spare his life so that he can aid us to Kitholhu Health Center III',” Muhindo narrated.
According to him, the rebels later attempted to stab him in the ribs, which he protected with his arm.
“You see these scars on both my arms. They wanted to stab my heart via the ribs, but I protected them with my arms,” he said.
The adduction journey
The rebels, according to Muhindo, later realised that he would be valuable to them alive in the bush because he seemed strong.
“One of the rebels said: 'This man is strong and will work for us,” he added.
“They gave me a few tablets as we continued moving into the forests deep in the DR Congo. I was feeling a lot of pain, but helpless, and I was waiting for my death,” he added.
Life in the bush
Muhindo said that while in the bush, Ngayinoko, one of the ADF commanders, used plant leaves to treat his wounds. 
He lived with the rebels for two-and-a-half years amid despicable conditions characterised by 'life-threatening hunger'.
“Unfortunately, there was no food for us to feed on other than tree leaves, grass, and the dead bodies of any of us who died of hunger,” Muhindo added.
Escape rout
One day, after they had fed on the dead body of one of their colleagues (termed Christmas), the ADF commanders ordered them to go and search for tree leaves to eat in the evening. It was then that he managed to escape with another colleague.
“We followed the River Rwembi and reached a village called Kalingwe, where we met Ham Baluku, an old man, who handed us over to the Uganda People's Defence Forces," he added.
Rehabilitation
Muhindo said they were rehabilitated at Nyabirongo in Kasese and reintegrated into the community.
However, Muhindo said he is facing life-scaring challenges, mainly from the wounds that did not completely heal.
He added that he spends over sh10,000s on treatment daily and finds it difficult to take care of his family of six.
“Purse comes out of these scars [keloids]. I have spent a lot on treating them, but there is no hope of recovery,” he said.
ADF attack
On August 16, 1997, ADF attacked St John’s Seminary and abducted over 20 seminarians.
The same group in 1998 also attacked Kichwamba Technical College in Kabarole district and abducted more.
On June 16, 2023, ADF attacked Mpondwe Lhubiriha SSS. The attack claimed the lives of over 40 people.
However, there is a joint operation by the UPDF and their DR Congolese counterparts against ADF codenamed: Operation Shujaa, which has registered several gains, including rescuing tens of civilians and capturing ammunition and rebels, since it started.
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