BY Vision Reporters      
                               
A total of 205 primary school pupils have been killed across the country due to lightning, the refugees and disaster preparedness minister, Musa Ecweru has said.

 The minister said that tragic loss is as a result of lack of lightning arrestors in schools. The tragedy occurred in the last two years according to the records in the ministry of refugees and disaster preparedness.

He warned that the country is bound to lose more lives of pupils and teachers if schools are not equipped with lightening arrestors. “Children studying in schools without lighting arrestors are vulnerable and in Uganda there are so many schools without arrestors,” he said.

Ecweru revealed that in a recent Cabinet meeting the President directed the ministry of housing to ensure that they stop commissioning buildings without lightning arrestors with the aim of reducing the number of fatalities that occur when lightning strikes.

“I pray that the ministry implements this directive to ensure that we guarantee the lives of our people,” he said.

Ecweru made the remarks during the commissioning of the lightning arrestors for two Primary Schools in Amuria district on Friday. The schools are Obur Primary School in Asamuk sub-county and Wera Primary School in Wera sub-county.

The installation of lightning arrestors was an initiative of Ecweru for his constituency in partnership with Nile Breweries. Ecweru who is also the area Member of Parliament appealed to the Teso leaders to join hands in helping their communities other than waiting for government alone.

The Nile Breweries director of corporate affairs, Onapito Ekomoloit appealed to the parents of Amuria to educate their children so that they would bring development when they gainful employment.