By our reporter
New facts have emerged indicating why most of the stakeholders want head teacher Godfrey Sentongo out of Lubiri SS as soon as possible. Matters have become more complicated for him after some PTA and Board of Governors members joined the alumni and disgruntled parents to demand for his exit. One of the latest discoveries that have angered many people relate to the circumstances under which the Lubiri SS library got into the terrible state it is in currently. In the past each new student had to report with a number of new text books which would go to the library. That’s how Lubiri SS came to have an excess of text books in its Library. However, in 2015 when Sentongo became head teacher books began getting stolen even when the keys to the general library entrance were always kept in one of the offices near the head teacher’s. A one Sekalala, who used to teach computer science, would always have access to the key as his computer students always used the library for their preps. By that time, the young people running the library would be in the staff room watching football. The next day they would find books missing and Sekalala, who was a blue eyed boy of Sentongo, proved to be powerful to be questioned. Several times the young librarians reported to library head of department Nampala who declined to act fearing reprisals from Sentongo and Sekalala who was increasingly becoming powerful. During staff meetings, the group from library always made reports about Sekalala and the continued disappearance of school text books. Surprisingly, Sentongo never seemed to be keen to act against this loss of school property. In fact as time went by his sycophants like Imelda Nankya turned tables on the original whistle blowers who in the end were subjected to hostility by Sentongo who even abusively went to police accusing Lubiri SS librarians of being a threat to school security. He subsequently used this as an excuse to chase most of them from the school in November 2015. This was after they independently commenced clandestine investigations whose preliminary findings indicated some of the missing books were part of the well-stocked library at a fast-growing private school in Mukono. This explains why some of the alumni have been insisting on an inquiry to establish the extent to which Sentongo’s Lincoln High School has benefited from his being Lubiri SS HM. Dr. Gordon Sematiko, who is chairman for the alumni association (LOSA), says he recently raised all these concerns with Sentongo who denied wrong doing and instead told him that his school has always been well-stocked and high performing long before he even became Lubiri SS HM. This Mukono school issue was also recently raised by disgruntled teachers in their petition that was sent to parliament. Sentongo is also accused of arbitrary actions including dismissing school employees without good cause from time to time. Sources gave a recent example when he expelled some school employees on merely suspecting that they were the invisible behind a recent strike by S.1 students. Not only did Sentongo expel these employees, he also connived with police to have them brutally arrested. On realizing the matter wasn’t going to as easy as he thought, Sentongo panicked, called back the employees and paid each one of them an equivalent of two months’ salary. Sentongo is also accused of seeking to emotionally hurt his predecessor Ali Mugaga by not treating properly teachers that happened to be Muslims and therefore closely associated to him. One time, a group of Muslim teachers became angry and stormed the Ministry of Education Headquarters accusing Sentongo of tolerating his blue eyed boy Serwanga (a teacher) who was fond of regularly bringing pork that would provocatively be served in the teachers’ dining hall. In fact, while at the ministry, the angry teachers claimed to have accidentally eaten pork thinking it was beef. The minister had to rush to Lubiri SS to calm down Muslim teachers whose issues the educational authorities at KCCA had failed to resolve. Many became even more annoyed when Sentongo rewardingly elevated Serwanga (now of Kampala High) to become the Estates Manager and head a number of construction projects at LSS.
KIGONGO INTEVERNES
Even after the minister intervened, Muslim teachers did not feel comfortable enough. They stormed Mufti Mubajje’s office at Old Kampala Mosque and called on him to come to their rescue. When Mubajje did not move fast enough, the teachers stormed Mosa Courts where they poured their hearts out to the powerful NRM Vice Chairman Hajji Moses Kigongo who is famous for protecting fellow Muslims whenever they are marginalized. They reported to Kigongo a number of things including a group of police officers led by a one Muleterwa whom they accused of being Sentongo’s hitmen. They also told Kigongo how there was a general witch-hunt targeting them by Sentongo whom they declared to be an enemy of Islam. They also reported to him about a debt of Shs600m which was advanced to the school by a money lender called Kasirye who was on the verge of attaching school property including the bus that had been offered as security. They also reported to him a group of teachers who were so untouchable to the extent of stealing and selling off the school’s building materials and continue to go unpunished. They also urged him to consider inquiring into shady deals said to be existing between members of the school top management and agents representing Centenary and Stanbic banks. They also wondered why Kigongo continues to be quiet when Sentongo (formerly HM Bishop School Mukono) was continuing to cause the imprisonment and interdiction of mostly Muslim teachers at Lubiri SS. Kigongo has since determined to ensure that Muslims don’t suffer again especially during the post-Sentongo era which he assured the grieving teachers he is actively working for. The teachers also implored the NRM boss to use his clout to demand for a comprehensive audit inquiry into the management and mismanagement of the Shs480,000 that every student pays in school fees per term. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
