Kasese launches Memorial Marathon to honour victims of 2023 ADF school attack

The Kasese community gathered to launch a marathon to support victims of the 2023 Nyabugando ADF rebel attack. The marathon was launched on Monday, April 7th, 2025, at the Kasese Better Living Center (KBLC) in Kasese Municipality.

The event, organised by Light FM in celebration of its 10th anniversary, features 10km and 20km runs and serves as a heartfelt tribute to the victims while raising funds to support the families affected by the tragic attack.

The marathon which will be held on May 11th 2025, was launched in with the presence of the SP Nelson Tumushime, the Rwenzori East Police Spokesperson, who was invited as the guest of honor.

“The Nyabugando ADF rebel attack in Kasese that happened in 2023 has deeply affected many families in our community,” SP Tumushime said.

“Lives were lost, homes destroyed, and people were left in pain and despair. It is a painful reminder of the challenges we face, but also of our strength as a community,” he added

Tumushime went on to thank Light FM for organizing the marathon and praised the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for their role in bringing the community together during such a trying time.

“As we come together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Light FM, we stand in solidarity with those affected by this attack, and I thank the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for this organization,” he thanked.

Pastor Baluku Birenge Abraham, the Communications Director at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church of the Rwenzori Field, called for more unity within the community and urged organizations to support the marathon and the families of the victims.

“Today, as we mark a decade of Light FM’s work, we also remember those affected by the Kasese attack and commit ourselves to support them in every way we can,” Pastor Birenge said.

“Let’s make this marathon a symbol of our community’s unity, strength, and compassion. Together, we can show that even in the face of violence and hardship, we rise as one to help those in need.” he ended.

The proceeds from the event will go directly toward helping these families, particularly those whose children were killed in the attack at Mpondwe Lhubiriha Secondary School.

The Nyabugando ADF rebel attack, which occurred on June 16, 2023, was one of the deadliest acts of violence to impact the region in recent history. The rebels, suspected to belong to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), attacked Mpondwe Lhubiriha Secondary School late at night.

The assault left 37 students dead, with 20 of them hacked to death with machetes and 17 others burned alive in their dormitories. Six students were also abducted by the rebels to carry food they stole from the school.

Among the victims was 18-year-old Thungu Joy, a rising star in the world of Ugandan cricket. Joy was a talented right-handed batswoman who had recently joined Mpondwe Lhubiriha Secondary School after transferring from Mt. Rwenzori. She was also a participated in the 2023 Uganda’s National Cricket Girls’ Week in Soroti

Light FM, also known as AWR-102.9, is a Christian radio station founded by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church of the Rwenzori Field in Kasese. Its mission has always been to spread the “everlasting gospel” while improving the lives of people in the Rwenzori region and beyond.