Police has taken over management of Kigezi High School and their rivals of Nyabikoni Secondary School in Kabale district after a student was killed in a clash between the two schools over the weekend.
Elly Maate the Kigezi regional police spokesperson identifies that deceased as Rogers Bakashaba, a Kigezi High School and resident of Mbarara district who met his death around 5pm on Sunday evening.
Eye witnesses say that trouble started after a group of boys from Kigezi High school armed with knives, machetes, clubs and sticks escaped and invaded a boy’s hostel at Nyabikoni secondary school located in Kanyakiriro village in central Division in Kabale Municipality.
A group of four students from Kigezi High school stormed the hostel and were later joined by their colleagues. Meanwhile, students of Nyabikoni secondary school fought back using stones, clubs and iron bars and clobbered Bakashaba to death in the process.
An eyewitness called anti-riot police but by the time they arrived to quell the fight, it was too late for Bakashaba who had breathed his last. Police rescued four other students of Kigezi High School and rushed them to Kabale regional referral hospital in critical condition.
Brian Ampeire the Kabale District Police Commander and Augustine Nakitari, the Officer-in-Charge of Kabale Police station led officers who were forced to use live bullets to disperse the charged students. They also arrested over 31 students from Kigezi High School and these are currently locked up at Kabale Central Police Station.
Ampeire was able to calm students of Nyabikoni Secondary School who were still armed with clubs and sticks for fear of a fresh attack by students from Kigezi High school to avenge Bakashaba’s death. The deceased’s body is lying at Kabale Regional Referral hospital mortuary for postmortem.
According to Maate, police haven’t established the cause of the attack by Kigezi High school students but officers have taken charge of both schools to prevent further attacks as investigations into the matter continue.
Meanwhile, Rev. Fr. Christopher Busingye, the Director Nyabikoni Secondary School and head teacher, Apollo Barigye declined to comment on the matter since it is still tense, while none of the administrators of Kigezi High School was available for comment by press time.
