FIVE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN UGANDA KILLED BY LIGHTNING

Shock and grief engulfed residents of Nyakabingo cell in Kakanju Sub-county in Igara West in Bushenyi District on Wednesday afternoon when lightning killed five pupils of Nyakabingo Primary School and left four others injured.

The lightning struck during a downpour at around 1pm while pupils were having lunch.

The dead have been identified as Benson Ahimbisibwe, Vitas Asasira, Anxious Tusiimirwe, Bentina Owomugisha, all in Primary One and Orphorus Mutahunga who was in Primary Six.

Those that were injured are Queen Mashal (Baby Class), Osbert Ainebyona (Primary One), Abel Muhairwe (Primary Five) and Reagan Nuwagaba (Primary One).

They were rushed to Kampala International University (KIU) Teaching Hospital in Ishaka where they are being treated.The head teacher, Ms Annet Namatta, said the school has a lightning conductor but it did not work.

"We have one conductor erected on the building; we could not think of lightning striking us," she said. The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Domiano Turyatunga, said: "Engineers advised the school to buy one conductor and it was erected but you can't ascertain how disasters come."

Last year, eight pupils of Buramba Primary School in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality were struck dead by lightning. Consequently Bushenyi District authorities passed a resolution compelling all schools to install lightning arresters, however, many of them have not complied.

-The Monitor-

So sad.