Mityana school resumes classes after suspected demons cast out
Deliverance. A traditional healer (left) reportedly exorcises suspected evil spirits from a pupil at Kiwawu Church of Uganda Primary School in Mityana District on October 19. PHOTO BY JESSICA NABUKENYA
What you need to know:
- Intervention. Authorities say the pupils’ condition could not be handled by medical doctors until a traditional healer ‘cleaned’ the school of demons.
Mityana. Lessons are expected to resume at Kiwawu Church of Uganda Primary School in Malangala Sub-County, Mityana District, today after strange things believed to be demons attacked a section of pupils and teachers a month ago.
Since the beginning of the term, many pupils have been unable to attend lessons complaining of strange sickness which health workers failed not diagnose, leading to the closure of the school.
“Some appeared like they had mental problems, shouting and jumping, while others were very weak,” Ms Harriet Naiga, the head teacher, said at the weekend.
Psychologists and doctors believe such cases are not demonic but are effects of mass hysteria and convulsion disorders.
Mass hysteria is a situation in which various people all suffer from similar unexplained symptoms.
Normality
Ms Naiga said the situation has since normalised “after a traditional healer exorcised the demons from the pupils.”
“He has confirmed to us that he has cleansed the school and we can now resume normal lessons. Those who are still physically weak will heal in few days,” she said.
Recently, four teachers also left the school to seek medication after they were reportedly attacked.
Some pupils, who spoke to Daily Monitor, blame the situation on teachers whom they accused of practising witchcraft.
A pupil, only identified as Suzan, said whenever the demons attacked her colleagues, the victims could start shaking their hands, scream and roll on the ground before running around the school, banging school doors and windows which disrupted lessons.
Ms Naiga said the school management first called priests from Kiwawu Parish Church to pray for the pupils but their situation remained the same.
She said last week, the school management convened a parents’ meeting which resolved that they hire a traditional healer.
“Parents resolved that it was only a traditional healer who could solve this problem. They mobilised some money and brought a traditional healer,” Ms Naiga said. The school has at least 450 pupils.
