Ntare School in Mbarara City has been rocked by extraordinary scenes after 540 Senior Three students were suspended over a hunger strike that spiralled into violent clashes.
The unrest erupted after the expulsion of a student accused of examination malpractice — a claim the protesters fiercely reject. Instead, they allege their classmate, identified as Kiburura, was targeted for probing alleged homosexuality at the school.
Head teacher Mr Saul Rwampororo confirmed the mass suspension, insisting the unrest had been brewing due to “endless fights” between Senior Three and Senior Four students.
“We suspended the boy for cheating exams,” Rwampororo said. “But they kept on fighting with S.4 students during their mock examinations — we could not tolerate that.”
According to students, tensions boiled over when S.3 learners refused supper in protest, demanding a full explanation for Kiburura’s expulsion.
Dialogue quickly collapsed. Witnesses claim the situation escalated when S.4 students were called in to calm the crowd — sparking another fight. Teachers, fearing the chaos was spiralling out of control, summoned S.6 students to assist, but the turmoil only deepened.
Even after the dust seemed to settle, the school’s entertainment department made a fateful choice — switching on the TV for the Super Cup final between Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain. Instead of football fever uniting the school, S.4 students allegedly armed themselves with sticks, blocking S.3 classmates from entering the hall.
The final straw came when the protesting students began pelting stones at school buildings, shattering glass and sealing their fate.
The head teacher says all 540 suspended students will be screened before being allowed back, with “ringleaders” likely to face further disciplinary action.
