Corpun file 14005

The Guardian, Dar es Salaam, 9 September 2004

Kahororo students go on the rampage

By Guardian Correspondent
Bukoba

Kahororo Secondary School students rioted on Tuesday, beating up their teachers and prefects and damaging windows.

The students went on the rampage to protest what they said was the "brutality" of a senior prefect who had the support of the school's administration.

They said the prefect (name supplied) was "too powerful" and had been authorised to mete out corporal punishment on fellow students.

"This guy has been allowed to administer up to five strokes of the cane.

This is unacceptable and we want to make this amply clear -- this is just about the only school in Tanzania where a prefect is allowed to discipline his fellow students," one student said.

The rioting lasted for five hours before riot police were called in to quell the violence.

Trouble started after the prefect allegedly caned a Form Two student unconscious.

The students went on the rampage after their demand that the administration take punitive measures against the prefect apparently fell on deaf ears.

Teachers and prefects were attacked and windows smashed in the disturbance.

Kagera Regional Police Commander Ignas Mbinga confirmed that there was an outbreak of violence at the school and blamed the disturbance on a "few misguided hooligans".

The school's acting headmaster, John Rugema, said the administration was conducting investigations aimed at establishing who were behind the rioting.

"We want to know who took part in the disturbance so that appropriate disciplinary measures can be taken against them," he said.