According to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Deputy Spokesperson John Kikonyogo’ has called for investigations into who or what the matter behind the rampant latest school fires and said vice should be treated as terrorism.
Addressing the weekly FDC press conference on Monday, Kikonyogo said that someone is likely orchestrating the recent spate of school fires.
“Since the schools open after the COVID-19 pandemic long break, this is the fifth time that the fire is happening in schools, this is disturbing to our country, parents,” Kikonyogo said.
According to the Uganda laws, we consider terrorism as an act of violence carried out to influence the government or an international organization or threaten the public and for a political, religious, societal and economic motive, indiscriminately without due regard to the safety precautions of property. We consider this act of burning schools as terrorism.”
According to FDC, the deputy Spokesperson stated that the party finds it disturbing that the government can drive Uganda’s national army to distant countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo to fight terrorism, yet terrorists are in Kampala burnt the schools.
Furthermore, Kikpnyogo stated that it is up to date. We don’t have enough reports of an old fire in Buddo junior and other schools. But as per the Director of fire and rescue services, we are telling us that most schools fires are planned, and we do not know how he makes this conclusion without investigations.
The comments of Kikonyogo come on a time when already two fires have been reported within two weeks and around Kampala.
A fire broke out in Bilal Islamic School on February 27, 2022, Sunday and two dormitories were vanished by the fire, and several properties of the students were also destroyed. Investigations into what drove the fire are still ongoing, as per the Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire.
A fire gutted the boy dormitories at Good Times Infant School in Kawaala last week in a city suburb, and one student was killed in that incident.
Kikonoyogo stated that there is no indication that this fire took place accidentally, and speedy investigation is needed. He further stated that culprits should be charged with terrorism.