Mercenaries behind strikes, say Gulu head teachers
Jul 13, 2008
SECONDARY school head teachers in Gulu have accused a local group called tumbafu (stupid) of causing insecurity in schools. The over 50 head teachers, who met at the Gulu Teachers’ Resource Centre on Thursday, said the group was behind the rampant strikes in schools in the region.
By Dennis Ojwee
SECONDARY school head teachers in Gulu have accused a local group called tumbafu (stupid) of causing insecurity in schools.
The over 50 head teachers, who met at the Gulu Teachers’ Resource Centre on Thursday, said the group was behind the rampant strikes in schools in the region.
The group, the head teachers noted, comprised school drop-outs and lazy students who were causing havoc.
“The Police should not think that these are mere students. They should be hunted and treated like criminals,†said Norbert Oola, the headmaster of Sir. Samuel Baker Secondary School.
“Some of these students threaten the lives of the headmasters when they are dismissed from school due to their intolerant indiscipline.â€
Recently, students of St. Joseph’s College Layibi in Gulu went on strike after they lost in the annual district secondary schools athletics championship.
The students, allegedly with the aid of the tumbafu group, burnt the school’s pickup truck and motorcycle and vandalised classrooms and staff houses.
The teachers said the students used petrol bought in mineral water bottles to burn the car.
The Gulu Central Police Station boss, Justo Ovuro, told the head teachers that he was aware of the tumbafu group.
Ovuro said the group was under Batak, a self-styled general and a drop-out of Layibi College.
The group, he added, also goes by the names Naked Virgin Crew, Tek-Kom (strong body) and Empire and Mr. Animal.
Johnson Kilama, a Police liaison officer, said two members of the group had been arrested, charged with criminal trespass and remanded to Gulu Central Prison.
He said the group’s hide outs in the suburbs of Gulu town had been identified.
SECONDARY school head teachers in Gulu have accused a local group called tumbafu (stupid) of causing insecurity in schools.
The over 50 head teachers, who met at the Gulu Teachers’ Resource Centre on Thursday, said the group was behind the rampant strikes in schools in the region.
The group, the head teachers noted, comprised school drop-outs and lazy students who were causing havoc.
“The Police should not think that these are mere students. They should be hunted and treated like criminals,†said Norbert Oola, the headmaster of Sir. Samuel Baker Secondary School.
“Some of these students threaten the lives of the headmasters when they are dismissed from school due to their intolerant indiscipline.â€
Recently, students of St. Joseph’s College Layibi in Gulu went on strike after they lost in the annual district secondary schools athletics championship.
The students, allegedly with the aid of the tumbafu group, burnt the school’s pickup truck and motorcycle and vandalised classrooms and staff houses.
The teachers said the students used petrol bought in mineral water bottles to burn the car.
The Gulu Central Police Station boss, Justo Ovuro, told the head teachers that he was aware of the tumbafu group.
Ovuro said the group was under Batak, a self-styled general and a drop-out of Layibi College.
The group, he added, also goes by the names Naked Virgin Crew, Tek-Kom (strong body) and Empire and Mr. Animal.
Johnson Kilama, a Police liaison officer, said two members of the group had been arrested, charged with criminal trespass and remanded to Gulu Central Prison.
He said the group’s hide outs in the suburbs of Gulu town had been identified.