A generation trapped between fear, loss, and forgotten promises
We are the youth of Bukwo District, and for too long our pain has gone unnoticed. We grew up surrounded by natural beauty and a rich culture, yet our lives have been shaped by conflict, violence, and neglect that no young person should endure. Across Kaptererwo, Kapkores, Suam, Chekwasta, Kortek, Kabei, Tulel, Kamet, Chesower, Senendet, Riwo, and Bukwo Town Council, the story is the same. Too much loss. Too little help. Too much silence.
Memories of the Bokot Raids
In Kaptererwo Sub County, the memory of the Bokot raids remains vivid. Villages were attacked and completely burnt. Parents were shot dead in front of their families. Children ran into the bush with nothing. Many of us became orphans overnight. We hoped that the government would step in to rebuild our lives. Years have passed, yet no family has received compensation. Children returned to no schools, received no counseling, and faced trauma without support. Those children are now youth, struggling daily with the consequences of a tragedy that has never been addressed.
One young person from Kaptererwo shared, “When our house was burnt and my father was killed, education ended immediately. There was no one to pay school fees, and no system existed to protect us. Survival became the only goal.” This story is not unique. It represents the reality for many youth across Bukwo.
UWA Conflicts and Human Suffering
Another deep wound comes from conflicts with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. In Kapkores, fathers, mothers, and youth have been shot dead by UWA officials. Others were injured or left disabled. Families lost land, crops, and safety. Fear replaced peace, and trust was broken. Similar experiences have been reported in Suam, Chekwasta, Kortek, Kabei, Tulel, Kamet, and Chesower.
When a parent is killed or injured, the youth suffer first. School fees vanish. Food becomes scarce. Trauma enters the home. Many young people drop out of school, not by choice but because no support system exists. Some are forced into early marriage. Others into child labor. Many into hopelessness.
A youth from Kapkores recalled, “When my father was shot, I became head of the household before finishing school. No government officer came to ask how we were surviving. No institution checked on our education. That silence still hurts.”
The Ongoing Struggle
Today, Bukwo youth face unemployment, poor roads, inadequate health services, and deep poverty. Beneath these challenges lies unresolved pain caused by violence without justice and neglect without accountability. Conservation is enforced without humanity, and development plans continue without including us.
We are not against conservation. We are not against government. We are against brutality. We are against neglect. We are against being forgotten.
The effects of these conflicts are evident everywhere. School dropouts. Teenage pregnancies. Alcohol abuse. Trauma. A generation growing up believing that their lives do not matter.
Bukwo youth are not asking for favors. We are asking for justice. We are asking to be seen. We are asking for a future where being born in Bukwo does not mean inheriting pain.
Our suffering is real. Our stories are true. Our voices will no longer be silent.
