A Kibaale district based journalist Ismail Kasooha has been ill-treated while covering a strike by rioting students of St. Adolf Secondary School.
Kasooha, a freelance with the New Vision and Kagadi Kibaale Community Radio (KKCR) was reportedly hit with stones by rowdy students who also pelted stones at their teachers.
The irate students staged a violent strike on July 19th 2011 accusing their teachers of harassing them, giving them corporal punishments and failing to account for the examination fees.
The students claimed that they paid Uganda Shillings 5,000 equivalent to US $ 2 for Mock exams but were surprised when the school gave them past papers of some schools from Mukono district.
The strike has led to the closure of the school until the causes of the strike are addressed by the concerned authorities as a number of innocent people fallen victims of circumstances.
“The stones hit me on the chest and stomach. I fell down in pain and was rescued by Anti Riot police led by Daniel Omara, the OC of Muhorro Police station” said Kasooha.
He said he was rushed to a clinic in Kagadi town where he attained medical treatment. “It’s a pity that journalists in Uganda continue to suffer acts of violence with impunity from primary beneficiaries of media work who are supposed to protect them,” Kasooha said