The Catholic Church has blocked attempts by the Government to appoint a new head teacher to St Mary’s College – Kisubi (SMACK) to replace long serving Brother Aganyira Deodati.
The Ministry of Education and Sports had in a December 12 letter written to Bro. Augustine Mugabo, the Headteacher of St. Henry’s College Kitovu (SHECK), saying he had been appointed to SMACK.
“In the interest of the service, it has been decided to deploy you to St Mary’s College Kisubi, Wakiso District with immediate effect,” the letter signed by Ssekabembe Ronald Kiberu on behalf of the Permanent Secretary to Mugabo read in part.
“By copy of this letter the chairperson Board of Governors – St Mary’s College – Kisubi, Wakiso District is requested to accord you the necessary support in the execution of your duties,” Ssekabembe added.
In the same vein, Brother Aganyira had also invited the SMACK Board of Governors so as to hand over Bro Mugabo.
But sources have told the Kampala Report that Kampala Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere stormed the school on Tuesday to block the handover ceremony organized by Aganyira, saying as the biggest shareholders in the school, they had not been consulted.
St. Mary’s College Kisubi is a Catholic Church-founded school, founded in 1906 by the White Fathers and handed to the Brothers of Christian Instruction in 1926 to date. However, the school is also government-aided.
Sources said Kampala Archdiocese demanded that Aganyira hands over to his deputy, Justus Katatumba, who should in turn be the one to hand over to a Church-seconded head teacher.
Sources said concerned staff who reportedly have suffered under the “iron hand” of Aganyira or others from the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) could have reported to the diocese, causing the hasty action to stop the handover.
Aganyira in a brief phone interview said, “The function has been deferred.” When asked to which date he only said, “The date is not yet fixed. You will be informed.” But sources said a delegation from the Kampala diocesean education office would be returning to SMACK today (Wednesday) to witness a handover to Katatumba.
When contacted, the Minister of State for Higher Education Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, said he “thought it was a small matter that should not be blown out of proportion.”
“What I can say is that I have seen a correspondence by the PS to Maama (Education and Sports Minister, also first lady Janet Kataha Museveni). I am sure Maama will solve it as she has done with other issues. But it is a small matter,” Minister Muyingo said.
Attempts to get a comment from Kampala Archdiocesan Education Secretary Dr. Steven Bonaventure Maloba or the diocesean deputy communications secretary Fr. Nicholas Mulumba were futile. Aganyira was reportedly supposed to retire last year but pleaded his age had been misrepresented by one year, thereby getting another year of service ending in 2022. Aganyira served at St. Edwards’ SS – Bukuumi, St. Henry College Kitovu, Bishop Comboni College, and St. Charles Lwanga Kasasa before his posting to SMACK in 2014.
