POLICE HEAVILY DEPLOY AT KIGEZI COLLEGE-BUTOBERE AS 260 STUDENTS ARE SENT HOME

 BY VANANSIO KAKOGOSO

IN KABALE
260 students of Kigezi College Butobere in Kabale district have been
suspended after they went on strike on Sunday night.
Only classes of senior one, two and five have remained at the school.
The students were sent home after spending the whole of last night in
running battles with police attempting to sneak and attack students of
Kigezi High School.
Scuffle started last evening when a group of about twenty Kigezi
College Butobere students escaped from school and went to watch a
football match between Kabale Brainstorm High School and Kigezi High
School.
After a goalless draw between the two teams that were playing in
Kabale District Copa Cocacola post primaries, a game that occurred at
Kabale University playground in Kabale Municipality, some alleged
students of Kigezi high school allegedly chased and beat the group
that had sneaked from Kigezi College Butobere.
In the scuffle, Norman Tumukunde senior four, Salim Niwagaba senior
six and another yet to be identified senior six student, all from
Kigezi College Butobere were seriously injured. Tumukunde is admitted
at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital while in coma while Salim and
another yet to be identified students are admitted at Dr.Geofrey
Anguyo’s Private Clinic in Kabale town.
The head teacher for Kigezi College Butobere Twiine Joseph Muganga,
says that after receiving the news that the group which had sneaked to
watch football competition has been attacked, students mobilized to
also attack Kigezi High School to revenge, an issue that prompted him
to alert police to takeover.
When anti-riot police arrived at the school, Muganga says that
students turned rowdy and started throwing stones and sticks at them
claiming that they have no reason to be at the school. Students also
vandalized a booth of a gatekeeper.
Anti-riot police that was headed by Henry Kisembo, the Commander of
Field Force Unit in Kabale used tear gas and live bullets to disperse
rowdy students. Muganga adds that the suspended will remain in their
homes until the school’s Board of Governors sits to decide their fate.

Elly Maate, the Police Spokesperson for Kigezi region says that says
police will maintain presence at the school until the situation
normalizes.

However, the Head teacher of Kigezi High School Stephen Mugume says
that the students of Kigezi College Butobere are the ones who wanted
to attack them at Kabale University. He also says that there is no
evidence showing that the victims injured his students.
Kigezi College Butobere is still serving a three year ban from the
Competitions after it was discovered that the school had field
mercenaries during last year’s competitions.