In the wake of a tragic incident that left two tourists and their driver dead, the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) has initiated a relentless pursuit of the assailants responsible for the attack. The incident occurred within the picturesque surroundings of the Queen Elizabeth National Park on Tuesday, sending shockwaves through the nation and prompting swift action from the Ugandan authorities.
Brigadier Felix Kulayigye, the spokesperson for the UPDF, confirmed the launch of a comprehensive operation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"This morning, we inserted both physical and technical assets to hunt down these culprits, and we are on their trail. The assurance I have is that a joint team of UPDF combatants, police, and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) personnel, along with the deployment of technical assets, will ensure that they are hunted down and held accountable," stated Brig Kulayigye.
President Museveni, in an earlier statement today, emphasized the UPDF's commitment to changing tactics in its pursuit of the rebels responsible for the attack. He acknowledged that the Ugandan military had traditionally relied on tracking these fugitive groups from Congo by following their footprints but assured the public that more reliable methods were under discussion and would be implemented promptly.
The UPDF and the Ministry of Defence spokesperson further corroborated the development, emphasizing that the military would not relent until the attackers were apprehended.
"We have sufficient resources to deal with these terrorists, both locally and outside the country. Our mission is to ensure that these terrorists do not survive to cause trouble again," assured the defence spokesperson.
In a bid to reassure tourists, the army spokesperson made it clear that the recent attack was an isolated incident. He expressed the belief that the ongoing hunt would not only bring the perpetrators to justice but also deter future acts of violence.
"Wherever they are going, they will be hunted down. This won't happen again. We have the necessary resources and have deployed capabilities in terms of technical intelligence to monitor movements in the national parks, augmenting UWA security. This vigilance will persist," he stated.
Brigadier Kulayigye urged tourists not to cancel their plans to visit Uganda's national parks, likening the incident to a vehicular accident on a journey, saying, "It is like when you are on a journey, and a vehicle gets into an accident, you don't stop the journey."
The pursuit of the assailants continues, with the UPDF and other security agencies demonstrating their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of visitors to Uganda's renowned national parks.
