Police, army arrest 10 Kasese students in strike

Jul 06, 2009

Ten students of Kuruhe High School in Kasese district were arrested and 159 sent home during a strike at the school. The Police and the army were on Thursday night called in to end the strike, which had turned violent.

By John Nzinjah

Ten students of Kuruhe High School in Kasese district were arrested and 159 sent home during a strike at the school. The Police and the army were on Thursday night called in to end the strike, which had turned violent.

“The officers had to shoot in the air and used tear gas to control the male students who went wild in the night,” the head teacher, Alphonce Piri Baluku, said. By Friday morning about 100 male students were still stationed at the nearby Catholic Church armed with sticks.

Baluku said the strike was sparked off by a student who had been told to wear a uniform and comb his hair. The student reportedly refused and insulted the teacher who had told him to dress ‘decently’.

“After the teacher complained, we called a meeting of the students’ leaders to discuss the case before calling the boy for counselling. But before the meeting ended, the boy started throwing stones,” the head teacher said. Other students joined him, thus starting the strike.

The head teacher said the rioting students attacked the girls’ hostel, but failed to break the steel iron door. They then broke into the canteen and stole everything.

The students threatened to burn the school van, but the driver drove it away. Baluku added that the students also broke into the food store, saying they wanted sugar.

However, they did not get the sugar because it was locked in an inside room. The students also vandalised the solar panels at the kitchen and shattered nine glass windows. They then slaughtered four goats and three chicken, which they roasted and ate.

“If the Police and army had not arrived in time, the damage would have been great,” the head teacher said. The mixed day and boarding Catholic-founded school is located in Kitswamba sub-county, Busongora North constituency. It has over 600 students.

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