Africa-Press – Uganda. The Church of Uganda and a section of parents are fighting over the ownership of Apye Primary School in Adok Sub-county, Dokolo District.
The school, which was established by the community in 1986, according to some parents, enjoyed peace until early this month when the Church started laying claim over its ownership.Parents said the Adok parish priest, the Rt Rev Ceasar Obot Abar, led a group of people that went to the disputed school and demarcated the land boundary.
However, the mission was aborted after they were blocked by angry parents, who were reportedly armed with machetes, stones and spears.
Mr Nelson Opii, the Apye School management committee vice chairperson, confirmed the incident. He said Rev Obot first held a meeting with some parents of Apye Primary School, who are members of the church, on March 26, without the knowledge of other parents.
“After the meeting, they went to the school and started putting mark stones at the school land boundary. When the head teacher informed me, I mobilised some parents and we went and stopped them,” he said at the weekend.
Mr Opii said Apye Primary School belongs to the community.
“The Church of Uganda has done nothing for the development of this school, so I see no reason as to why they want to claim the ownership of this school,” he added.
Letter sent to school
Mr Yuventino Okwir, the head teacher of Apye Primary School, said on March 23, he received a letter from the leadership of the Church of Uganda, Adok Parish informing him that the school land had been surveyed long ago. The said letter also indicated that the Church would be demarcating the school boundary any time, according to Mr Okwir.
“A letter was brought to my office signed by Rev Obot informing me that they will be putting the mark stones at the boundaries of the school because the foundation body has already surveyed the land,” he said.Ms Eunice Acio, the Apye Parish chief, said she was informed that the Church of Uganda was surveying the land at Apye Primary School.
“When I received the information, I then reported to the sub-county chief who directed me to tell the parents that no one should demarcate the land boundary,” she said.Efforts to get a comment from Rev Obot were futile by press time.
Mr David Livingston Okello, the spokesperson of Lango Diocese, was also reluctant to comment on the matter. He promise to follow up the matter and get back to Daily Monitor with a comment, which he did not.
