About 56 students were injured during a students’ violent strike at Kihihi high school in Kanungu district On Saturday night.
According to Gad Rugaaju Ahimbisibwe, the Kanungu Deputy Resident District Commissioner, while students were sleeping, power suddenly went off and the whole school went into darkness. In the process, unknown people started vandalizing the school property including classroom window glasses, electricity wires among others.
The school head teacher’s motor vehicle, a Rav 4 registration number UAV 976W was also not spared. Some students who were sleeping woke up and started fleeing the school. More students, especially girls fled while police intervened and immediately started firing bullets.
Rugaaju says that 56 students got injured as they fled in darkness. Rugaaju also says while it had been suspected that the school was under an attack by rebels, investigations later showed that the violent strike had been planned by some students.
He says that investigations indicate that some of the students are up against the school head teacher Kenneth Mugimba, on accusations of maladministration. Rugaaju added that the injured students were rushed to Kihihi health center IV for treatment.
Rugaaju adds that security investigations to get the exact cause of the strike are still ongoing. He adds that the police have maintained deployment to quell suspected further attacks.
Kenneth Mugimba, the school head teacher however says that the strike was caused by a section of students who were not happy with the suspension of one of their fellow students he only identified as Praise after he was found in possession of a mobile phone yet it is prohibited.
According to Mugimba, a student found with a mobile phone is suspended and ordered to produce a concrete pole for fencing the school or pay 50,000 shillings to buy it. After suspension, Mugimba says that Praise attributed it to political wrangles claiming that he is being harassed for openly not supporting Patience Nkunda Kinshaba, Kanungu District Woman member of parliament.
