The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for Adjumani district Ocen James Andrew has come under fire after he ordered all head teachers of both Primary and Secondary Schools in the district to cancel their schools programs to attend President Museveni’s rally on Monday.
In a letter dated 17th October 2025 to all school heads that has since been circulated widely on social media, Ocen orders them to mobilise students and pupils in the various schools to participate in the rally.
“As you may be aware, the President of the Republic of Uganda HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni .T. is already in West Nile for His Campaign Tour and he will be in Adjumani District on Monday 20th October, 2025 at Paridi Stadium starting from 8:00 a.m. with public assemble.
The purpose of this letter is to authorize you to mobilize students/pupils in your various schools to participate/attend the rally. Thank you for your usual cooperation” Ocen ordered.
Ocen’s actions have received backlash on social media with netizens saying his actions further go on to prove the opposition narrative of how the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ferries allegedly paid people and students to President Museveni’s rally.
The National Unity Platform President Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine took to his X account to express disappointment in the government official’s actions.
“SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! Dictator Museveni and his criminal enterprise continue to get exposed. Left with nothing to offer and unable to attract the population to listen to his lies after 40 years, there are now orders from Chief Administrative Officers for primary school pupils and secondary school children to attend his rallies!“ he said.
Bobi wine added, “No wonder if you look closely at every event they have held, half of the people you’ll see are children, sometimes putting on school uniform! Let’s do what we have”.
Former Gulu University Guild president Dr. Anyama Alfred Berliner criticized the move to involve pupils in political rallies, however noting that such action that destabilizes students education, may result in the CAO being promoted to a higher position from the head of state.
“It should be noted that; Renowned TikToker & Artist Snappy Badman faces threats and was arrested for simply demanding that Adjumani DLG fix the debilitated government schools in the district” he said.
He added, “Meanwhile, the CAO of Adjumani might be rewarded with a promotion after illegally ordering head teachers to force pupils and students from these same neglected classrooms to attend Museveni’s rally. It’s the 40 years of “Gains”=impunity of @NRMOnline rule they claim to protect”.
With the public scrutiny growing more online, it remains to be seen if the CAO will revert on his order and allow students attend school on Monday to get an education or participate in the rally.
