Tension flared at St. Mary’s College Rushoroza in Kabale District on November 23, 2023, when a group of senior five students staged a strike, causing damage to school property in protest of the suspension of six fellow students accused of assaulting a junior student.
The incident unfolded when Nuwahabyona Special, a senior one student, reported to the school headmaster on November 23, 2023, that he had been assaulted by six senior five students on the previous night. The victim alleged that the suspects had accused him of stealing 40,000 shillings.
The school management, upon examination of Special, found that he had sustained bruises on his head, buttocks, and back as a result of the alleged assault. The six accused students were promptly suspended, and Special was taken to Rushoroza Health Centre for treatment.
Enraged by the suspension of their colleagues, a group of senior five students gathered in the late hours of November 23, 2023, and initiated a strike. The striking students vented their anger by breaking windows in the administration block and some classrooms, demanding the immediate reinstatement of the suspended students.
Kabale police were swiftly notified of the unrest, and a team of officers led by ASP Akanyijuka Andrew was dispatched to the scene. The police officers managed to disperse the striking students and restore normalcy to the school premises.
In a bid to address the situation and prevent further disruptions, the school board of governors suspended all senior five students pending a thorough investigation into the matter. Additionally, seven students identified as ring leaders of the strike were arrested and are currently in police custody.
As investigations continue, the school administration has urged all students to remain calm and refrain from any further acts of violence or disruption. The school board is expected to convene soon to make a final decision regarding the fate of the suspended students.
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