Anti riot Police quells Mbarara schools' fight

By Fred Turyakira & Samson Opus

Wakiso COPA Coca-Cola Final

Buddo 0(2) Kitende 0(4)

Semifinals

Budo 1 St. Juliana 0

Standard High 0 Kitende 4

ANTI-RIOT police in Mbarara on Monday morning engaged Ntare School students in running battles to stop them from attacking their Mbarara High School counterparts.

Police fired tear gas in Nkokonjeru and Kiyanja areas to disperse Ntare students armed with slashers, sticks and pangas who went to attack Mbarara High following their (Mbarara High) victory in the Mbarara COPA Coca-Cola qualifiers.

The enraged students also pelted police with stones, destroyed people’s food gardens and left people operating business around the areas in disarray. 

Polly Namaye, the regional Police spokesperson, said problems started on Sunday evening after Mbarara High students, who were crowned Mbarara COPA Coca-Cola winners after defeating Rutoma in the final, drove past Ntare in their bus while jubilating. 

She said police had arrested 14 students from Ntare and two from Mbarara High who allegedly participated in the fights. 

The arrested students held at Mbarara police station claim they were forced by their senior colleagues to join in the strike.

Namaye, said police has been deployed to guard both school until calm is restored and the arrested suspects will be charged with malicious damage to property.

Kitende qualify

Defending champions St. Mary’s Kitende underlined their quest for a seventh COPA Coca-Cola Cup after beating Buddo 4-2 on spot kicks in the Wakiso region final Sunday.

Buddo, stepping back after a threeyear ban, stretched out pre-match favourites Kitende 0-0 in normal time on Saturday.

The two schools had to wait till the following day for the dreaded shots as dusk fell before they could be taken.