[3] The institute is located approximately 15 kilometres (9 mi), by road, northwest of the city of Fort Portal, in Kabarole District, in the Western Region of Uganda.
[4] This location lies approximately 310 kilometres (190 mi), by road, west of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.
[6] The institution was established in 1947, as a resettlement of World War II veterans and as an Artisan Training Centre.
[3] On 8 June 1998, rebels affiliated with the terrorist group Allied Democratic Front (ADF) attacked the college and set three dormitories of fire, killing 80 students.
The ADF abducted another 100 students and destroyed other property including laboratories and school vehicles.