By Joel Kaguta
Kasese: Two pupils were on Monday afternoon struck by lightning at Mother Gives Nursery primary school in Kasese district.
The regrettable incident happened in Kihungamiyagha village in Kaghema parish, Kyarumba sub County. The LC3 sub county chairperson, Mr. Jackson Mughuruka confirmed the incident.
Mr. Mughuruka says that he was informed about the catastrophe by the area councilor and the school head teacher. He rushed to the scene and worked tirelessly to evacuate those who sustained injuries during the incident.
The deceased have been identified at Janet Mbambu 15 and Joan Muhindo 9 and all learners in primary four and primary three respectively.
Others who were injured are Edgar Masereka and Michealin Kamalha and are currently admitted at Kagando hospital in Kisinga Town Council and Kyarumba Primary Health Care in Kyarumba Town Council.
Johnson Muhindo, a primary one class teacher, told Daily Monitor that the incident happened at 1:30pm following a light showers that lasted only for one hour.
Muhindo explained that the showers were accompanied by thunder and lightning which caused havoc.
According to Muhindo, the incident occurred as pupils were lining up for lunch. “As the pupils were lining up for lunch, then we heard a strong bolt and immediately we saw our learners on the ground and those who were still inside were thrown outside by lightning”, Muhindo said.
He added that Mbambu Janet died on spot and Muhindo Joan died while being rushed to the nearby health center in Kyarumba town council.
But Kamalha and Masereka who were severely injured were admitted at Kyarumba Primary Health Care but later, Masereka was referred to Kagando hospital for further medical management.
“Actually, we are two teachers who were also struck by lightning but fortunately we only sustained minor injuries, my left leg is paining”, said Muhindo.
When the news spread around about the incident, parents and guards rushed at the school to ascertain if their children were safe.
Those who discovered that the Monday incident claimed the lives of their children got broken and were filmed while crying.
Joy Mbambu, another teacher who also got injured by lightning, narrated that she was seated in the staff room but wondered how she found herself outside.
“My chest is seriously painful and right now, I am planning to go to the hospital for a medical checkup”. Said Mbambu.
She said that the death of the deceased will remain a big blow to the school and family of Joseph Mbalhuwako and Tomas Bwahuha because their performance in class was so promising.
“These children were jolly and bright in class, we have actually lost people who would put our school on map”, Said Mbambu.
The bodies of the deceased were later handed over to their families in the presence of Officer in-charge of Kyarumba Police Post and the sub county leadership led by the sub county chairperson.
Margret Twikirize, the school head teacher sympathized with the grieved families and the school management. Twikirize says that the incident is regrettable.
Asked what next after the incident, Twikirize explained that the school management resolved to halt the normal operation.
She added that they will have a board meeting on Wednesday to forge a way forward. “We are saddened by the incident and we ask the families that have lost their relatives to forgive us but to remain strong”, Twikiriza adds.
This means that the over 240 learners at the school will remain at home until the school that was established in 2000 resolve to resume normal operations.
Sebasitiano Kyongoleko, a family relative to the late Mbambu told this reporter that the deceased passed him in the morning while going to school little knowing that it was his last moment to see her. “She knelt down greeting me as she was rushing to school in the morning, little knowing that it was my last time to see her”, Kyongoleko said.
Tomas Bwahuha, a father to Muhindo narrated that his daughter had at the beginning of this term told him that she wants to become a nurse so that she can offer medical help to the elderly.
“Mr. Bwahuha explained that her daughter left at home while healthy. I wish my daughter had been absent than perishing in a very traumatizing incident”, Mr. Bwahuha said.
Observation
This reporter asked the school administration why they had not installed the lighting arrestor, the school head teacher replied that the process of procuring the system is on.
This reporter found out that all the five classroom blocks at the learning institute had no lighting detectors. Also a good number of learners were not putting on shoes.
Commenting about the incident, Hilary Masereka, a resident, urged schools to install lightning arrestors to stop such occurrences from happening.
But, the school head teacher at Kihungamiyagha primary school, a sister school of Mr. Jocknus Bwambale, reported that thieves have been stealing lighting systems at his school.
“I have registered two cases of theft of lighting arrestors at my school and these systems are being stolen by community members”. Bwambale said.
Other head teachers at Buthale primary school, Kalonge upper and Kalonge Lower primary schools and Kibandama reported in 2020 that lighting systems at their respective schools were also stolen.
In October, 2021, Nyesio Mbusa Sikabyaholho, a resident of Kakunyu village in the same sub county was also struck by lightning. By the time of his death, Sikabyaholho was a primary teacher at Izahura primary school in Bundibugyo primary school.
