At least 56 students were reportedly injured on Saturday night violent strike at Kihihi high school in Kanungu district, western Uganda.

According to Kanungu deputy resident district commissioner (RDC) Gad Rugaaju Ahimbisibwe, while the students were sleeping, power suddenly went off and the whole school went into total darkness. In the process, unknown people started vandalizing school property including classroom window glasses, electricity wires among others.

The school head teacher’s motor vehicle, a Toyota Rav 4, reg no. UAV 976W was also not spared. The students started fleeing the school after the police intervened and started firing bullets.

Rugaaju also says while it had been suspected that the school was under attack by the rebels, investigations later showed that the violent strike had been planned by the students. He says that investigations indicate that some students accuse the head teacher, Kenneth Mugimba of maladministration. Rugaaju added that the injured students were rushed to Kihihi health center IV for treatment.

However, in his defense, Mugimba says that the strike was caused by a section of students who were not happy with the suspension of their colleague only identified as Praise after he was found in possession of a mobile phone yet it is prohibited.

According to Mugimba, as per the school rules, any student found with a mobile phone is suspended and ordered to produce a concrete pole for fencing the school or pay Shs 50,000 cash. After suspension, Mugimba says that Praise attributed it to political wrangles claiming that he is being harassed for openly not supporting Patience Nkunda Kinshaba, the Kanungu District Woman MP.