Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

Ugandan School Attack

20 June 2023 · 9 other contributors

Opened by Andrew Mitchell Con Sutton Coldfield

UkraineForeign Affairs

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Andrew Mitchell raised concerns about ugandan school attack in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • On Thursday, June 16, a school attack in Mpondwe, Uganda, led to 42 deaths, including 37 students.
  • Six individuals were injured and five to seven people, possibly including children, were abducted.
  • The Ugandan authorities suspect the perpetrators are linked to the Islamic State's Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) operating in the DRC.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

Andrew Mitchell

On Thursday, June 16, a horrific and cowardly attack occurred on the Lhubiriha secondary school in Mpondwe, Uganda, resulting in 42 fatalities, including 37 students. Six individuals were injured, and reports suggest that five to seven people, potentially including children from the school, were abducted. The Ugandan authorities believe the perpetrators are affiliated with the Islamic State's Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) operating in the DRC. My condolences go out to all victims and their families. The British Government strongly condemns this attack and have updated travel advice for Uganda on June 17.

Other contributors (9)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Question

    The hon. Member sets out the full magnitude of the attack, noting 42 fatalities including 37 students and six additional students abducted for loot. He asks: what steps can FCDO take to help recover those kidnapped? What scope is there in UK aid budget for emergency relief and school reopening support? When was the latest joint analysis of conflict stability assessment carried out by FCDO, reflecting current threat from IS Central Africa Province?

    Minister reply

    The hon. Gentleman’s questions are well-founded. The UK has a £30 million partnership with Uganda spent on humanitarian and reproductive health issues; this is under review for further aid. A new JACS report is being commissioned in response to the recent events. We are closely working with Ugandan authorities to help recover kidnapped individuals.

  • Alicia Kearns Con Rutland and Stamford

    Question

    The hon. Member congratulates Jim Shannon for securing the urgent question and extends condolences to affected families. She inquires about discouraging engagement with Wagner Group and tackling border insecurity between Congo and Uganda.

    Minister reply

    We are working closely on counter-terrorism and regional security, a shared priority. The attack was horrific, involving fire bombs and abductions of mostly female students; two others died due to lack of blood supplies in health centres. We support peace processes in Luanda and Nairobi aimed at reducing disorder in the eastern DRC.

  • Lyn Brown Lab

    Question

    Forty-two people are dead, including 37 children, and students remain in terrible danger after being abducted. I struggle to understand the mentality of anyone who deliberately seeks to murder children. The Opposition stands in solidarity with the people of Uganda. How are we engaging with the African Union, SADC, EAC and SACOSU to support consensus against insecurity among regional states? What plans does the Government have to update our sanctions on the ADF?

    Minister reply

    The hon. Lady makes several important points. We are in very close touch with the African Union and SADC. Uganda has designated the ADF as a terrorist organisation, and Ugandan defence forces are tracking the perpetrators. Tackling illicit financial flows is a high priority for the Prime Minister. The Nairobi process, to which we have provided funding, is an important aspect of how we bring order to eastern DRC.

  • Vicky Ford Con

    Question

    I am concerned about rising violence throughout the region and reports of waves of ethnic violence in El Geneina. Will my right hon. Friend agree to meet members of the UK’s Darfur community who are desperate to tell people what is going on there so that they can whistleblow on what might be genocide again?

    Minister reply

    My right hon. Friend will know that I have met recently with the Darfur community, but things have changed since that meeting. She is completely right about the possibility of a conflict stretching from the middle east to southern Africa and the need to break the culture of impunity.

  • Drew Hendry Lab

    Question

    When will the UK Government join those countries in proscribing ADF? What support is being provided to Uganda in response to this attack and ongoing threats? Does the Minister agree that it would be a mistake to continue cutting aid in sub-Saharan Africa?

    Minister reply

    We are deploying large amounts of British taxpayers’ money for humanitarian effect. The UK Government is fully engaged through processes such as the Nairobi peace process, ensuring anything we can do to bring back stability to this troubled part of the world.

  • Mary Robinson Lab

    Question

    Could my right hon. Friend set out what measures we are taking across the border between Congo and Uganda to help those people living in fear every day?

    Minister reply

    Britain has been heavily engaged through both the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes, and we will continue that engagement until we are finally successful.

  • Sammy Wilson DUP East Antrim

    Question

    How can our aid budget be targeted to help those who are victims or potential victims? What discussions has the Minister had to ensure that Governments take action where possible and get help from our own Government?

    Minister reply

    The British development budget is spent on trying to stop conflicts from starting, stopping them once they have started, and reconciling people once they are over. The Ugandan commander-in-chief of land forces has been there, and the Ugandan army is pursuing the perpetrators.

  • Martin Docherty Lab

    Question

    Given the leverage this Government now have with Rwanda, what assurances has the Minister sought from the Rwandan Government that they will respect the sovereignty of their neighbours in the region?

    Minister reply

    I expect to see the Foreign Minister of Rwanda within the next 24 hours and I will urge everyone engaged in fighting, profiteering or causing human misery in eastern DRC to be part of the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes.

Shadow Comment

Jim Shannon

The hon. Member expresses his deepest sorrow and concern regarding the abhorrent attack that killed 42 people, including 37 students at Lhubiriha secondary school in Uganda. He outlines the scale of the incident, noting that victims were murdered with machetes and bombs thrown into dormitories. Schools in the region are now closed due to fear. The attack is part of a trend by IS Central Africa Province targeting Christians and religious minorities across central Africa. Four questions are posed: steps to recover kidnapped individuals; scope for emergency relief within the UK aid budget; latest joint analysis of conflict stability assessments; measures to prevent future attacks.

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