Rwenzori region on high security alert

PIC: Rwenzori region has in recent years been a host of deadly attacks. (File photo)

The Rwenzori region districts of Kabarole, Kasese, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo are on high security alert following threats of an impending attack.
 
During a district council meeting, the Kabarole district chairperson Richard Rwabuhinga told councilors that there is intelligence information about an impending attack on government installations by agents of an organized criminal group codenamed ‘Kirumira Mutima'.
 
Rwabuhinga said the group intends to carry out the attack early November as they launch operations for the anticipated Yiira Republic.
 
"The eminent attack is real and as leaders you must use any opportunity at your disposal to guide our people especially the youths not to be involved in such acts of violence" he told the council.
 
Rwabuhinga disclosed that a yet-unknown number of people who have been undergoing training in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have already been dispatched to Uganda to cause insecurity.
 
"I am encouraging you to be on the lookout for any new faces or any suspicious movements of people in your different areas and cooperate with security so that our people can remain at peace."
 
Lydia Tumushabe, the Regional police spokesperson told New Vision on phone that intelligence is alert and on ground to manage any occurrence.
 
"As security we have deployed but we call upon the general public to be vigilant and inform security in case of anything" she said.
 
She appealed to local council leaders to be more active in registering all new persons and visitors in their areas of jurisdiction.
 
Geoffrey Mucunguzi, the resident district commissioner (RDC) for Bundibugyo which has always been the epicenter of the attacks, told New Vision that security is closely monitoring the activities of the group.
 
"We are ready and steadily monitoring the situation as security. We are aware of some activities that have been going on in the DRC but our borders are highly guarded" he said.
 
Last week, the police in Bundibugyo shot dead a man identified as Muhindo Amanya, one of the suspected leaders of the so-called 'Kirumura Mutima' after he tried to resist arrest.
 
Martin Tukahebwa, the Bundibugyo district police commander, said that Muhindo had for long been on police's top wanted list. He was shot dead at his home in Bundimasoli where he was found conducting a meeting with a group of about 20 members.
 
Tukahebwa revealed that the police recovered a number of documents from Muhindo's house that are being used for further investigation.
 
"Muhindo has been mobilizing and recruiting youths into the 'Kirumira Mutima' group. We recovered handwritten names of people from different districts of the regions that have so far been recruited."
 
Other documents recovered included the group's payment vouchers and orders that have already been placed for the procurement of their uniforms.
 
Rwenzori region has in the past suffered a series of attacks that have left scores dead and others injured.