Uganda Safe to Visit after the Abducted Tourist & Guide Freed
The American female tourist ‘Kimberly Sue Endicott and her driver guide who was abducted at a gunpoint last week on Tuesday have been released safely. Kimberly Sue Endicott an aesthetician from Costa Mesa and her driver Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo (safari guide-Wild Frontiers) was rescued by security forces in their good health and they are currently in safer hands. Ideally, it is great relief to the tourism sector as a whole!
The abductors, however, used Kimberly Sue Endicott’s cellphone to demand ransom $500000 and it is not yet known if in any case the money was paid or even if the assailants have been arrested yet. The two were traveling in a vehicle on an evening game drive with Jean-Paul Remezo plus the 2 other visitors in Queen Elizabeth National Park-one of Uganda’s most pristine wilderness areas. It was during this time that they were ambushed by 4 gunmen who took the duo and left the 2 elderly couple stranded as they also went with car keys. According to Pam Lopez who met Kimberly Sue Endicott through her work as an aesthetician further explained that it was Kimberly’s longtime dream to embark on a gorilla safari in Africa but unfortunately, nightmare befell her way on 2nd/4/2019 when she and her driver guide were kidnapped at a gunpoint.
Fortunately, this nightmare came to an end on Sunday when the Uganda security forces confirmed their rescue at a Uganda border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Uganda police on Wednesday dispatched a group of elite group of police officers, military personnel and wildlife authority officials to help in a search for the kidnapped American tourist and her guide. Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha wilderness camp area where this incident happened is a famous site that is close to the border area with the DRC. However, the security team then cut off all exit areas along the border area between Uganda the DRC to aid the search.
Ofwono Opondo Uganda spokesperson said that the duo was rescued from DR Congo and they return safely in Kanungu district. He further added that the abductors fled the scene of the rescue when law enforcement officers and soldiers got in just like they did when they took the hostages. US defense official added that the US military had also offered support to Uganda security forces and this included surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence assets and liaison officers. President Donald Trump tweeted about the duo release on Sunday afternoon. “Pleased to report that the American tourist and tour guide who was kidnapped in Uganda have been released.” “God bless them and their families.”
In conclusion, cases of tourist kidnap in Uganda are extremely rare and most of its tourist sites still remain safe and secure for visitors to conduct their safaris.
