13 schools attacked in one month

At least 13 schools have been attacked by unknown assailants in central Uganda in the last 30 days. 
The incidents, all staged at night, took place in Mukono, Luweero, Mpigi and Wakiso districts, killing five people and  property worth millions of shillings  stolen.  The assailants killed four private security guards and a teacher and injured 15 security guards.

The incidents appear to be coordinated and well-planned attacks, where thugs  disable the school guards before the respective raids and then target money kept in school accounts offices, computers among other valuables.
The latest attacks occurred in Mukono District last Friday night at St Andrews’ Kaggwa Secondary School and Latifah Mixed SS, which is a kilometre from the former.
 At St Andrews Kaggwa Secondary School, Joseph Miiro, a teacher, was stabbed to death while Mr Benard Ajobe, a security guard, was injured.

“The thugs who killed our teacher made away with three laptops and an unspecified amount of money among other property,” Ms Caroline Namukwaya, the school headmistress, told this publication yesterday.
 At Latifah Mixed SS, the attackers stole two computers and several mobile phones.
In the same week, thugs attacked Kasawo Senior Secondary School, according to Mr Gerald Ssali, the Inspector of Schools in charge of Nakifuma Sub-county in Mukono District.

Similar pattern in school attacks
On March 14, the Luweero Central Police Station registered attacks on two schools.  The thugs killed a security guard identified as John Amuriat was killed, stole two laptops and money at the respective school accounts offices.
The Savanah Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Patrick Lulu, said the raid on Kazinga Secondary School in Nyimbwa Sub-county, where Amuriat lost his life, necessitates increased vigilance.  
“We ask the community to provide information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits,” he said. 

But the Kazinga Village Chairperson, Mr Samuel Kutosi, in an interview yesterday said the attack appeared well coordinated, and happened between 2am and 3am during a heavy downpour.
“After killing the security guard at Kazinga Secondary School, the thugs moved to Dove Care School which is about a kilometre away and tied up the security guard with ropes before breaking into the office of the school bursar. They stole Shs500,000 and two laptops from the school accounts office,” he said.
Luweero Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Richard Bwabye, said the simultaneous  school attacks are a serious security concern.

“We are concerned that some schools are still deploying a single guard in contravention of the existing deployment guidelines. We are addressing this matter and rallying all schools to adhere to the set guidelines,” he said.
At Nswanjere Junior Seminary in Mpigi District, suspected thugs gained entry into the school, vandalised the tabernacle inside the chapel, and stole valuable items including a chalice on March 20.
The thugs also beat up and injured the vice-rector Rev Fr Godfrey Kyeyune, the spiritual director Rev Fr Emmanuel Mukukule and Bro John Bosco Mwaasa.

In Wakiso, some of the schools attacked include Kyadondo Secondary School where a school guard was killed and another injured, Almadiinatul Munawarah Islamic School where the thugs reportedly stripped the Closed –Circuit Television (CCTV) before stealing Shs700,000. Thugs also attacked Spring Field High, injured two guards and stole Shs9 million.
Also, on March 9, unidentified thugs killed a security guard at St Edwards College, Galamba in Gombe Division, Wakiso. The thugs killed one guard, injured another guard but did not steal any item.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson,  Mr Patrick Onyango, said nine of the affected schools are in Wakiso and police has commenced investigations into the attacks. 
On Tuesday,  the Mukono  RDC,  Ms  Fatumah Nabitaka Ndisaba, issued fresh guidelines to curb attacks. 

AFFECTED SCHOOLS
• Latifah Mixed SS, Mukono
• St Andrews’ Kaggwa Secondary School, Mukono
• Kazinga Secondary School, Luweero
• Kyadondo Secondary School, Wakiso 
• Almadiinatul Munawarah Islamic 

School, Wakiso
•St Edwards College, Galamba in Wakiso
• Spring Field High in Wakiso
• Dove Care School, Luweero
• Nswanjere Junior Seminary,Mpigi District
•Kasawo Senior Secondary School

Compiled by  Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa Dan Wandera, Jessica Sabano &Fred Muzaale