Students of Kaikolongo Seed Secondary School in Lwengo district from classes. The school properties were destroyed in a Violent Strike.
Martin Shabohurira, the Acting Deputy Headteacher at Kaikolongo Seed Secondary in Malongo sub-county, Lwengo district has been cited as the hidden force in a violent students’ strike that led to massive destruction of school properties on Thursday evening.
The students went on a rampage and smashed the school’s window glasses, vandalized the computer laboratory, and destroyed 30 computers; in protest of what they described as maladministration, being ordered to wake up too early, separation of male students from studying with their female counterparts during night lessons, among others.
But Lwengo District Chairperson Ibrahim Kitatta says that their preliminary findings from intelligence sources show that Shabohurira facilitated the students’ strike to frustrate efforts for his transfer from the school over unprofessional conduct.
According to him, the Deputy headteacher has for quite some time not been on good terms with the rest of the school administration and Board of Governors after they faulted him for insubordination and submitting a forged staff list to the Education Service Commission for possible appointment.
Uganda Radio Network has seen a letter by the School’s Board of Governors asking the Commissioner for Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education at Sports to remove Shabohurira from the school after he failed to cooperate with the new Headteacher who was deployed there last year.
He adds that the school’s administration has been asked to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the damage and losses caused by the strike, which will eventually be compensated by the parents whose children were involved in the strike.
However, Shabohurira denies the allegations against him describing it as a witch-hunt by a clique of individuals who want to patronize the school for selfish interests.
Reverend John Turyamureeba, the Chairperson of the school Board of Governors says in the meantime, they have left Police to carry out their investigation into the cause of the strike. He says that the outcome of the investigation will determine their next course of action.
Dalia Nakirya, the School Headteacher says that they have found it necessary to ask for more security deployment at the school to ensure the safety of the school and prevent a similar reoccurrence. She is however hesitant to comment about the alleged misconduct of her deputy.
The riot at Kaikolongo Seed School came four days after another violent strike at St Johns Comprehensive Secondary School in Kaliiro Sub-county, Lyantonde district where students caused heavy damage to school properties.
