By URN
At least four learners from Good Shepherd Primary and Secondary Schools in Luwero district were hospitalised on Thursday after police fired teargas into their school compound while dispersing a protest over roadworks.
The incident occurred during a chaotic demonstration by residents of Mawale trading centre in Makulubita sub-county, who were protesting against the dust raised by ongoing construction along the 23-kilometre Mawale–Masulita–Kakiri road.
The roadworks are being carried out by Abubaker Technical Services. Isaiah Lutalo, the defence secretary of Mawale village, said residents resorted to protests after repeated pleas to the contractor to suppress the dust went unanswered. He noted that the problem has been worsened by heavy Sino truck traffic transporting construction materials to Wakiso district.
Lutalo said that several people have fallen sick with cough and flu, while others are eating food laced with dust. According to Lutalo, the situation further escalated when protesters began beating motorists, burning tyres on the road, and demanding money from drivers. This prompted police from Bombo police station to intervene with tear gas.
“Unfortunately, during the process of dispersing protestors, policemen fired teargas canisters in the schools, hence injuring the learners,” he added.
Joseph Kakungulu, director of Good Shepherd schools, said the canisters exploded inside the compound, leaving four students: two from primary seven, one from primary six, and another from senior four unconscious.
They were rushed to Semuto health centre IV for treatment and were discharged later that night. Kakungulu condemned the police’s actions, saying there was no justification to fire teargas into the school since the students were not part of the protests and should never have been caught in the crossfire.
Savannah regional police spokesperson, Sam Twiineamazima, did not directly respond to the school teargas incident but said the police responded to disperse rowdy protestors who were blocking traffic flow and staging illegal assemblies, the third time within the week. He said five people were arrested to assist in ongoing investigations into illegal assembly and attacks on road users.
