MUKONO, UGANDA: By Thursday evening, the country was still in utter shock after disturbing news reported that nearly 200 students had been hospitalized at various hospitals after allegedly eating poisoned food at Nakanyonyi Senior Secondary School in Mukono district.
The incident which is reported to have happened on Wednesday evening as students enjoyed their supper (of posho and beans) turned into a worrying situation after several students developed stomach complications, while some reported having intense diarrhoea.
“Some of them developed stomachaches while others developed diarrhoea. We gave them some tablets but the situation worsened today (Thursday) morning. Some became unconscious,” a teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity told DailyExpress on Thursday.
Reports DailyExpress could not independently verify alleged that the poisoning (if true) might have been engineered through the school tank from which the water used to prepare food for the students is fetched.
By yesterday evening, authorities in Mukono district including the deputy RDC, the LC5 chairperson, Internal Security Organisation operatives and the school management were locked in a security meeting to establish what happened.
Although no deaths were reported, the 200 affected students were rushed to Naggalama Hospital and Mukono General Hospital and other nearby health centres for medical attention.
School Management Speaks out
Mr Amos Balongo, the head teacher of Nakanyonyi SS on Friday morning gave a positive update on the underlying condition of the students saying these were not in danger and that the medics would later in the day discharge some of the victims back to school.
“The students who were rushed to Nagalama Hospital in critical condition are steadily recovering,” Mr Balongo said, adding that there have not been any deaths registered.
The Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire who confirmed the incident on Thursday said samples of food consumed by the affected students were collected and taken to aid in investigations.
“Samples have been picked from the victims and taken to the Government Analytical Laboratory in Wandegeya for examination to ascertain the exact cause of the problem as investigations into the matter continue,” ASP Owoyesigyire said.
Mukono Deputy RDC Mr Mike Ssegawa when contacted could not confirm whether it was a case of poisoning the food by an individual or a case of contamination but said investigations were underway to establish the truth.
“We are yet to conclude whether the food eaten by the students was laced with poison or the food itself was contaminated,” Mr Ssegawa stated.
Nakanyonyi Senior Secondary School is a Government funded school found in Nakanyonyi, Naggalama parish, Nabaale sub-county in Mukono District, central Uganda.
As of 2022, the school boasted of a student enrollment of over 642 students with 576 students in Ordinary Level (O-Level), and 66 students in Advanced Level (A-Level).
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