Student dies as Kitgum police disperse rioters at schools' football game

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KITGUM — A 17-year-old student at Kitgum Comprehensive College was pronounced dead at Kitgum General Hospital on Friday (March 27) after he collapsed as police dispersed rioting students using teargas.

Police fired teargas to control unruly crowds during the Uganda Secondary School Sports Association (USSSA) Kitgum district boys’ football semifinal on Friday evening.

His colleagues said Francis Ojok collapsed after inhaling the gas during the chaos which erupted around 6:00pm after Rev. Jubuloni Issoke Memorial College defeated Kitgum Comprehensive 2-0.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that some of the students involved in the violent clashes at the Kitgum Bomah appeared intoxicated.

Supporters of Comprehensive allegedly blocked the main gates, preventing Issoke students from leaving, and some reportedly began throwing stones at police personnel who had been called in to quell the strike.

Peter Oyesigye, Kitgum district police commander, said officers were forced to respond with teargas.

After he (Ojok) collapsed, Ojok, who had a pre-existing heart condition, was rushed to Kitgum General Hospital but died before reaching the medical facility.

Joe Oloya, police spokesperson for the Aswa East region, said that a formal statement will be issued after a postmortem report is out.

Richard Oringa, chairperson of USSSA Kitgum district, who expressed shock at the behaviour of Comprehensive supporters, confirmed that the association will review the student's conduct before deciding on penalties.

The finals, originally scheduled for Saturday, have been postponed to Monday, March 30.

The boys’ final will feature Issoke against Marg Antonio Viginato Secondary School, while the girls’ final will see Kitgum Comprehensive face Kitgum Standard College.

Schools set to represent Kitgum in the upcoming USSSA regional meet for Acholi, hosted by Kitgum High School from April 6–12, 2026, include:

Boys: Kitgum High School (host), Marg Antonio Viginato Secondary School, Kitgum Comprehensive College (Teams A & B), Bishop Jubuloni Issoke Memorial College (for boys’ tournaments).

Girls: Kitgum Standard College, Kitgum Alliance College, YY Okot Memorial College (host), Kitgum Comprehensive College, Amida Seed Secondary School (for girls' competitions).

History of violence among students

This is not the first violent incident involving Kitgum Comprehensive.

In 2025, its Pager campus was banned from USSSA competitions following clashes and property damage during a match against Issoke.