Jinja headteacher survives lynching over poor PLE performance, police fires in the air to save him from angry parents

Police in Jinja district Monday February 26, 2024  fired live bullets in the air to disperse the angry parents of Kamiigo Primary school located in Buyengo town council who had ganged-up against their headteacher with purported aims of ending his life.

Mr Godfrey Namuyoga, a 46-year-old faced it rough when a group of furious parents turned against him to rebel his alleged irritating actions.

Parents accuse the headteacher who has served the UPE school for five years for using a tractor to destroy the gardens of school teachers and as well over tasking young children with huge assignments in his gardens.

The unfortunate reports indicate that Mr Namuyoga doesn’t stop at disrespecting his staff of eighteen teachers in the community but also mistreats learners who do not gain from his garden products after harvesting.

Charles Kasaayi, the chairperson of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of the school, was unable to calm down the determined parents who were only singing “he must go” songs.

Kasaayi had organized a parents meeting on Tuesday but it was ruined by today’s turn of events. It is alleged that Mr Namuyoga is a renowned “dictator” at the school and he doesn’t listen to listen to anybody in the decision making processes.

The enraged parents also accused the headteacher of failing to improve the school academic performance for the period he has served in their area.

According to 2023 PLE results, Kamiigo primary school did not have a single candidate in first grade. Out of a total of 64 candidates, the school had only 8 in the second grade, 30 in the third grade and 12 in the fourth grade while the rest totally failed.

The angry community said could not tolerate such a headteacher and allegedly ran out of patience because the district education office had for years not responded positively to their demand for the headteacher’s transfer.

Efforts to get a comment from the District Education office were futile but SP James Mubi, the Kiira region police spokesperson confirmed the fracas.

Afande Mubi said the law enforcement officers were forced to fire live bullets against parents who turned against police.

“We opened fire only to disperse the angry parents who were throwing stones at our officers who were keeping law and order,” said Mubi.

“They were accusing us of saving the life of their head teacher whom they wanted so much, but of course, the man also deserves his life, and we could not allow them,” he added.

Police urged parents to use legal avenues to solve the matters amicably and refrain from taking the laws into their hands to avoid unwanted consequences.

The headteacher is currently in safe custody at Kakira central police station as the dust settles down and pending issues are harmoniously resolved by all concerned parties.

Police are still manning the school to ensure the population of over 1600 learners are not being interrupted during classes and within the school premises and as well to ensure no loss and damage of school properties.

The headteacher who locked himself in the office in fear of his dear life alleges that there must be a teacher behind all the drama, but he could not reveal the teacher’s particulars.