16 students arrested as Ntare, Mbarara High renew rivalry
Police officers patrol the gate of Ntare School yesterday . PHOTO BY RAJAB MUKOMBOZI.
What you need to know:
Ntare School authorities said a crisis meeting was being held by last evening.
MBARARA
Police remain deployed at Ntare School and Mbarara High School (MHS), following a clash between the two traditional rivals. This follows the Sunday evening incident in which Ntare School boys pelted MHS bus with stones, destroying its windscreens.
The bus was carrying jubilating students who had just won the Mbarara District Post-Primary football competitions from Kiyanja Ruharo. After winning the match against Rutooma SS from Kashari, MHS students rode through Ntare Road near Ntare School. When they reached Ntare School, which had been eliminated at an earlier stage, the students interpreted MHS’s gesture as a mockery.
MHS students walked to police with the trophy and the shuttered bus to record a statement. They later marched to their school in Ruharo. However, at night, they reportedly went to revenge in Ntare where they destroyed glasses of four vehicles they found parked in the compound and windowpanes of the main hall.
In return, Ntare students yesterday morning also mobilsed to attack MHS. They took a remote route via Kakiika, Kyamugorani to Kiyanja, but were repulsed by police that had already deployed at MHS gate.
Police fired tear gas and bullets in the air to disperse the rowdy students.
Though some students managed to get back to Ntare School, some were still loitering in the nearby areas with intent to attack MHS.
At around 11am, police had tried to force their way to Ntare School but met resistance and were pelted with stones, forcing them to unleash tear gas and bullets. Mr John Agaba, the head teacher of MHS, described the incident as unfortunate. “The incident has been very unfortunate; after all we did not expect it because Ntare School had been eliminated earlier. But even after our school bus was pelted with stones, I called an assembly and told my students not to revenge,” he said.
“It is only at around 3am when the head teacher of Ntare School called telling me some of my students had attacked his school,’’ Mr Agaba added. He said he informed police which deployed and that two of his students have been arrested as suspects and are being held at Mbarara Central Police. Mr Agaba said the standoff has disrupted teaching at the school. Ntare School head teacher Jimmy Turyagyenda refused to comment on the standoff.
“What do you want me to comment about amidst this stress and confusion?” he said. Ntare School deputy head teacher in-charge of discipline Eligio Birindwarugaba said a crisis meeting involving the RDC, police and headmasters of both schools was taking place by press time.
Rwizi Region police spokesperson Polly Namaye said they had arrested 16 students in relation to the incident; two are from MHS and the rest from Ntare School.
