Golden Learning Centre Nursery and Primary School in Mityana became the epicenter of a culinary catastrophe as over 100 pupils fell victim to a suspected case of food poisoning.
The alleged culprits? None other than two of the school’s own cooks, Kule Alfred and Mumbere Edger.
According to Wamala region police spokesperson, Racheal Kawala, the harrowing incident unfolded at around 2:00 PM on Wednesday when the unsuspecting students were served a seemingly innocuous meal of posho and beans.
Shortly thereafter, chaos erupted as pupils were gripped by stomachaches, headaches, and violent bouts of vomiting.
“The incident, located in Namungo Central Village, Namungo Parish, Namungo Sub-county, Mityana District, involved pupils experiencing symptoms such as stomach ache, headache, and vomiting immediately after being served Posho and beans for lunch at 1400 hours,” divulged SP Kawala, painting a vivid picture of the distressing scene.
Rapid response teams sprang into action, whisking the afflicted pupils to various health facilities, including Namungo Health Center III and MUKJ Medical Clinic.
Meanwhile, the accused cooks, Alfred and Edger, found themselves in the cold grip of custody, detained at Mityana Central Police Station to aid in the ongoing investigation.
Forensic experts have swooped in, collecting samples from the school’s kitchen for meticulous analysis, aiming to unearth the malevolent source of this culinary calamity.
The crime scene, meticulously documented by tenacious detectives, now stands sealed off, awaiting further directives.
Preliminary reports unveil a total student body of 350, with most finding solace in their homes by nightfall.
However, approximately 50 pupils remain under vigilant medical supervision, their conditions reported as stable, though still marred by the traumatic event. Thankfully, at this time, no fatalities have been recorded.
This incident bears haunting echoes of a similar occurrence in July, when 150 students at Nakanyonyi Senior Secondary School in Naggalama, Mukono district, were plunged into a similar nightmare of suspected food poisoning.
The haunting specter of such incidents serves as a chilling reminder of the fragility of our children’s safety within the hallowed halls of learning.
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