Butobere students suspended over plan to attack rival school

Kabale.

About 260 students of Kigezi College Butobere in Kabale District were on Monday sent home after it emerged that they were planning to attack Kigezi High School to avenge for beating of their colleagues.

Some students from Butobere including Norman Tumukunde who is admitted at Kabale hospital were allegedly beaten by Kigezi High School students during the post primary football competition at Kabale University playground at the weekend.

A group of students from Butobere were last Sunday reportedly supporting Kabale Brain Storm High School team as they played Kigezi High School. Butobere is not participating in the games having been banned from the competition over alleged students’ indiscipline.

“Some of the students of Kigezi College Butobere were seriously beaten by a mob, accusing them of supporting Brain Storm High School against Kigezi High School…,” Mr James Tugumenda, who witnessed the incident said.
The headmaster of Butobere, Mr Joseph Twine Muganga, said they suspended students of Senior Three, Four and Five.

Mr Muganga said the school board of governors shall convene to decide their fate.

He revealed that students who escaped from school to cause chaos were being commanded by a group of former students who were recently dismissed from the same school because of misconduct.

“Our school was banned from participating in the post primary football competition because of misconduct of some students. No single student was given permission to go out of the school. I am wondering how students from my school ended up there,” Mr Muganga said.

He added, “Several people called me saying that three of our students have been serious beaten after a football match between Kigezi High School and Brain Storm High School and for now, I have received information that they have been hospitalized in different clinics in Kabale Town. To prevent the planned violent strike, we have resolved to send the students to their respective homes until further notice.”

The commander of the Field Force Unit at Kabale Police Station, Mr Henry Kisembo, said they have deployed at Kigezi High School and Kigezi College Butobere to protect lives and property of the students.

For many years now, students of Butobere and Kigezi High School have been involved in wrangles that escalate during games and sports competitions.

In April 2010, Brian Tumwine, a student of Kigezi College Butobere, was beaten to death in a fight with those of Kigezi High School after a football competition won by the latter.