Africa-Press – Uganda. Nabumali High School, one of the traditional schools that used to be an academic powerhouse in the country, is in turbulence over allegations of corruption.
According to police, the head teacher of the school, Mr Daniel Douglas Kaima, has been conniving with some staff members, including the school Bursar, Ms Jane Mutesi, to allegedly steal reams of paper.
It is reported that Mr Kaima and others contract shop keepers at Nabumali Town Council to resell the reams and deposit the money to a mobile money account in the name of a person only identified as Kibalatsi, Mr Kaima’s office messenger.
Mbale District Police Commander (DPC) Alice Kuka said they have opened a General Enquiry File (GEF) to investigate the matter.
“We opened GEF and we are investigating the matter,”Ms Kuka said, adding that they have preferred charges of theft and abuse of office against the suspects.
Hell broke loose last week after one of the students was requested by the school to buy a ream of paper. The student went and purchased it from a shop within the town council. To his surprise, the ream of paper had a stamp of Nabumali High school and the name of another student.
Concerned locals intervened and asked the shop attendant, identified as Mr Sam Namangalo, to explain how he got the reams.
Mr Namangalo confessed that he is used by the school administrators to resell the reams of paper to students.
Police were alerted and it swung into action, arresting Mr Kaima, Ms Mutesi, and Mr Kibalatsi. They were later released on police bond.
Mr Charles Mungoma, the chairperson of the board of governors, told Daily Monitor that they resolved to suspend Mr Kaima and appointed one of the deputies, Mr Weboya Herbert Natsami, to act as caretaker of the school until a substantive head teacher is appointed.
“We had a meeting as a board and directed the deputy head teacher with permission from the district education officer and the chief administrative officer to take over the responsibilities of the head teacher as the bursar helps police with investigations,” he said.
He said they have told the suspects to keep away from the school premises. “They may interfere with the ongoing investigations. They should, therefore, stay away from the school as investigations go on,” he said.
One of the administrators in the school, who preferred anonymity in order to speak freely, said the office attendant has been receiving the money from the shop attendants on behalf of the suspects.
Mr Mungoma said police should do a thorough investigation and have all perpetrators prosecuted.
“The head teacher being the custodian of the school property didn’t report any break-ins into the school to the LCI chairperson or police,”Mr Mungoma said.
Mr Simon Peter Mafabi, a resident in Nabumali, said corruption is failing efforts made by the old students to lift the school to higher academic levels.
“The school heads only sack cash out of the school and this is the reason it has remained like this for years despite the efforts by old students,” he said.
Nabumali High School is a government-aided secondary school that was established in 1912 in Mbale District under the Church of Uganda.
But 2004, the school performance and enrolment started declining due to strikes by the students, which resulted into the burning down of school buildings, administration wrangles, and low funding from government.
Recently the Chief Justice, Alfonse Owiny–Dollo, urged students and administrators to restore discipline and glory of the school.
He made remarks during the celebrations held to mark 110 years of existence of Nabumali High School under the theme, “homecoming”, which took place at the school premises two weeks ago.
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