KABALE PRIMARY SCHOOL HEADTEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION SUSPENDED OVER RELIGIOUS WARS

By Ambrose Kweronda

www.mknewslink.com

In Kabale—

Security and education authorities in Kabale have suspended activities of Primary school head teachers’ association over disagreements among members based on religions.

The resolution was made yesterday during a meeting, which took place at Kabale district council hall, summoned by the Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Godfrey Nyakahuma.

The meeting was also attended by Edmond Ntimba, Kabale District Chief Administrative Officer, Moses Bwengye Tumwijukye, Kabale District Education Officer, Gilbert Orikiriza, District Sports Officer, and Reuben Mutabazi, Kabale District Internal Security Officer among Others.

The meeting, followed last week’s decision by the RDC to suspend the 2022 primary school kids’ athletics competitions in the district after head teachers subscribing to the Catholic religion, disputed the results of the association elections held 11th February this year.

The Association brings together 110 government aided Primary School Head teachers from Kabale District, 70 of who are Anglicans while the remaining 40 are Catholics.

During the election, only 1 catholic made it to the seven-member executive of the association, while they only managed to get 4 out of 10 sub-county leadership slots.

This led head teachers, who subscribe to the catholic religion under Kabale Diocese head teachers’ association, to threaten to quit the association accusing their Anglican counterparts of using their numerical strength to take over all important offices.

Nyakahuma on Friday last week suspended the competitions of both factions and summoned all head teachers for a reconciliation meeting on Monday.

During the meeting, Nyakahuma wondered how civil servants can engage in bickering based on religious subscriptions.

He said that Preliminary investigations by security indicate that a certain faction of the head teachers is planning to boycott end-of-term exams that have always been set under the association.

Nyakahuma added that perpetrators of the bickering including head teachers will face the wrath of the law once security investigations pin them.

The head teacher of Muyumbu primary school in Kyanamira sub county who is also the Chairman for Kabale diocese head teachers’ association,

Charles Akankwasa, argued that there is no transparency in the association, insisting that as Catholics, they are still not happy because they are not equally represented.

Alex Biryomumeisho, head teacher Nyabushabi primary school in Kyanamira sub county and the Incoming association chairman, noted that he is ready to help security with people who are even outside the education sector in the district but are fueling the disagreements.

The meeting later resolved to suspended activities of the association until further notice.

In the resolutions read by the acting DEO-Bwengye, it was resolved that the district sports officer, takes over athletics competitions, while the office of the inspector of schools’ takes over end of term exams activities.