Mupasula Asanasio still lives with the unbearable weight of an open question.
As the chairperson of the Association of Parents of the Affected Students, he represents families whose lives were shattered on the night of June 16 2023, when suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants stormed Mpondwe–Lhubiriha Secondary School in Kasese District.
The attackers left a trail of murdered students and civilians, throwing a quiet border community into deep shock.
“This attack left parents and family members traumatized psychologically and economically unproductive,” Asanasio says, speaking for those who lost children and those who still do not know the fate of the missing.
“Parents of the missing students still live in stressful situations, fear, and suffering, but with prayers and your support, we hope we shall overcome this difficult situation.”
Last week, that private grief gained a public sanctuary. At the Mpondwe Town Council Headquarters, local leaders, diplomats, security chiefs, and grieving families gathered to unveil a permanent stone memorial engraved with the names of those identified from the assault.
Unveiled during the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, the monument stands as a permanent reminder of a dark night and a community’s determination to rebuild.
For years after a terror attack occurs, public attention inevitably moves on, leaving survivors to deal with physical injuries, financial hardship, and severe psychological trauma in isolation.
Research conducted under the Peace Beyond Borders Project, including the study Victims of Terrorism in Uganda: Needs and Resilience Factors, shows that this post- tragedy silence often deepens the suffering of affected households.
The new monument is designed to break that silence. It provides a physical space for mourning and reflection, while serving as a warning to future generations about the true human cost of violent extremism.
Brigadier General Caesar Innocent Bahwezi, Commander of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), led the unveiling, describing the structure as an essential step toward keeping the victims present in the national conscience.
“Countering such violence remains a shared duty that calls for cooperation among government, security agencies, communities, religious and cultural leaders, civil society, development partners, and ordinary citizens,” Bahwezi said, paying tribute to the dead while praising the resilience of families rebuilding their lives.
European Union diplomat Toke Hauch Arnoldi emphasized that supporting victims must remain central to any counter- terrorism strategy. The memorial project was implemented by the Prospect Initiative and Pole Institute alongside the Kofi Annan Foundation, the Victims of Terrorism Association Uganda, local leaders, and affected parents, with financial backing from the European Union.
“The European Union stands with the victims,” Arnoldi noted, adding that keeping their names visible ensures survivors and future generations can remember.
“No strategy can succeed without listening to those who have lived its consequences first-hand.”
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