Five Bundibugyo schools closed

Jul 16, 2013

AT least five primary schools that have been hosting displaced Congolese nationals in Bundibugyo district yesterday failed to open for classes

By Raymond Baguma

AT least five primary schools that have been hosting displaced Congolese nationals in Bundibugyo district yesterday failed to open for classes because of poor sanitation.

Oscar Thembo, a teacher at Bubandi Primary School (one of the affected schools), said: “Pupils came, but with the refugees still occupying the school, we sent them away.”

Other schools that failed to open include Busunga, Busoro, Kalera and Butoogo primary schools.

However, Bubandi Primary School, with an enrolment of over 600 pupils, was most affected because it hosted the highest number of displaced Congolese, close to 10,000 people.

Thembo added: “With the state of sanitation and open defecation, we need to first spray the area with JIK, liquid detergent and water as well as clean the latrines. But the resources are not available. We have notified the authorities.”

The Bundibugyo district education officer could not be reached for comment. But John Apollo Kibulya, the health inspector of Bubandi sub-county, said the two pit-latrines constructed at Bubandi Primary School had filled up and needed to be emptied if classes are to resume.

By yesterday, all the displaced people were expected to be relocated from the primary schools in an exercise that began on Sunday, carried out by aid agencies.

The displaced people were taken to a temporary transit camp set up at Bubukwanga on land belonging to the Uganda Prisons Service.

Charles Bafaaki, a co-ordinator from the Office of the Prime Minister in charge of the relocation exercise, said they would provide support to enable the schools empty the overflowing latrines.

The displaced Congolese have been living in squalid conditions at the primary schools within the district since they sought refuge in Uganda last week.

Thousands of Congolese nationals fled into Bundibugyo mainly via the Uganda-Nyahuka border post due to clashes in Kamango, 15 kilometres from the Uganda- Congo border involving the Allied Democratic Forces rebels and the Congolese army.

However, by Friday evening, the Congolese army had regained control of the area.

Since they were defeated in Uganda, the ADF rebel remnants have been hiding in eastern Congo occasionally engaging in trade, raiding civilians and poaching in Virunga national park.

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