The tribal conflict in Bulambuli district has taken a toll on education.
The conflict which has pitted the Bagisu against the minority Shana tribesmen has forced several primary school children out of school.
In Bulegeni Primary Parents Day and Boarding Primary School alone, more than 100 pupils have been forced to drop out of school as the conflict escalates.
David Woniala, the Deputy Head teacher says the pupils were forced to drop out due to fear of reprisals from the warring parties. He explains that some of the pupils who have dropped out of the school could either be at home or could have been transferred to study in a safe place.
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Woniala says classes are often disrupted during ethnic clashes between the two tribesmen who border the school. He says sounds of war drums reverberate across the area causing panic and fear among the pupils.
The conflict has been blamed on local leaders.
Bosco Namunyo, a Shana tribesman who lost his entire possession during one of the clashes blames local leaders for the clashes. Namunyo explains that his tribesmen have lived peacefully with the Bagisu until recently when the local leaders floated the issue of turning the area into a town council.
He claims the local leaders drew tribal boundaries to separate Kamu Town Council and the sub-county headquarters.
Namunyo says the move made locals to suspect that the other tribe was going to have more advantage over them inform of leadership and source of local revenue.
Stephen Wambotiya, the LC1 of Kabenda village, concurs with Namunyo that local leaders are responsible for sparking the conflict. He explains that the leaders are using the locals in their fight for leadership positions and control over the lucrative Kamu produce market.
Wambotiya says he conflict can only be solved if a higher authority pronounces it’s self on whether to grant Kamu a town council or sub-county status.
Government has in the meantime deployed military police personnel to man security in the area.
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