By Johannah Nantongo
Two children were injured after lightning struck Kinu Primary School in Namwendwa Sub-county, Kamuli District, during a heavy downpour.
The two boys had reportedly gone to the school to fetch water from a borehole when the storm struck as they sought shelter in the classroom .
The victims have been identified as 14-year-old Edrine Ndunga, a Primary Five pupil at Kamuli Junior Nursery and Primary School, and 11-year-old Stephen Kisaame, a Primary Four pupil at Ndalike Primary School.
They sustained injuries and were rushed to Namwendwa Health Centre IV, where they were admitted for treatment.
Regina Nakate, the headteacher of Kinu Primary School, said the lightning strike also caused extensive damage to the school’s infrastructure.
Nakate said a three-classroom block, staff quarters and a toilet block were completely destroyed, leaving the structures in rubble.
She appealed to the government and other stakeholders to urgently support the school in reconstructing the damaged facilities before the start of the third term.
Local leaders have also called for immediate government intervention, citing the risks posed by lightning strikes in the area.
Denis Bazira Tadhuba, the Namwendwa Sub-county councillor, urged the government to reconstruct the destroyed structures and install lightning arresters at schools and other vulnerable public facilities.
Bazira said the latest incident highlights the danger posed by lightning in the area, recalling that a similar incident occurred less than a year ago a few kilometres from Kinu Primary School, where a girl was reportedly struck and killed instantly.
He warned that without preventive measures, more lives could be lost, particularly as schools prepare to reopen for the third term.
Pius Mugweri, the Namwendwa Sub-county chairperson, urged parents and guardians to closely monitor their children during rainy weather.
Mugweri advised parents to discourage children from going outdoors during thunderstorms and heavy rain, saying taking shelter in safe places could help prevent injuries and loss of life.
The incident has renewed calls for schools and communities in lightning-prone areas to install lightning protection systems and sensitise residents about safety measures during thunderstorms.