Police in Mbarara yesterday spent four hours in running battles with students of Booma High School as the school prematurely closed following an eviction order.
The police were executing court orders that ruled the school was illegally constructed on the land it occupies.
The police were executing court orders that ruled the school was illegally constructed on the land it occupies.
The 450 students want the eviction order effected after end of first term.
Instituting the court directive was the Mbarara Municipality acting town clerk, Mr Stratus Mushabe, accompanied by the municipal principal education officer, Mr Silver Magara and the district police chief, Mr Simon Peter Wafana.
Instituting the court directive was the Mbarara Municipality acting town clerk, Mr Stratus Mushabe, accompanied by the municipal principal education officer, Mr Silver Magara and the district police chief, Mr Simon Peter Wafana.
“We had already registered at this school for our A -Level exams. What will be our fate now that you are saying this school is operating illegally,” asked the students.
There are 151 candidate students of whom 84 are in Senior Four and others in A- Level.
Efforts by the district police chief to assure students that the candidate classes will be considered fell on deaf ears as students swore not to leave the school.
There are 151 candidate students of whom 84 are in Senior Four and others in A- Level.
Efforts by the district police chief to assure students that the candidate classes will be considered fell on deaf ears as students swore not to leave the school.
Students defiant
Attempts by the police to evict the students resulted in a four-hour running battle. By press time, students had camped at the resident district commissioner’s office, vowing not to leave until their grievances are addressed.
Attempts by the police to evict the students resulted in a four-hour running battle. By press time, students had camped at the resident district commissioner’s office, vowing not to leave until their grievances are addressed.
One of the school administrators, Mr Willy Tumwesigye, said the authorities should have left the students to finish their first term. Most of the students said they do not have money for transport back home and are demanding that the authorities compel the school administrators to refund their fees.
The school’s director, Mr Robert Mwebaze, said the school has a rental agreement of one year. Mr Mwebaze said the land on which the school sits is owned by two landlords, Mr Dan Ainomugisha and Ms Margaret Munanura. He said they do not owe the land owners any money. However, Ms Munanura said the school owes her Shs60 million.
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