A leadership change at Kawanda Secondary School has sparked unrest, with parents and students pushing back against the transfer of the school’s head teacher.
The school, a government-aided institution in Kawanda Sub-county, Sembabule District, is now at the centre of a growing dispute over who should lead it.
Parents have rejected the newly appointed head teacher, Mr David Lwebuga, and are demanding that the outgoing head, Mr Peter Muhwezi, be retained.
They credit Muhwezi with improving the school’s academic performance and overall development, noting that students have recorded better results under his leadership.
According to them, his transfer is unjustified and could reverse the progress made in recent years.
The disagreement escalated during a meeting involving education officials from the Kako Inspectorate, district authorities, parents, and teachers.
The session reportedly turned chaotic, with parents accusing the school board chairperson of blocking efforts to resolve the issue.
As tensions rose, students gathered outside the venue and began protesting.
They chanted and insisted they would not accept the new head teacher deployed by the West Buganda Diocese.
Lwebuga was transferred from Katerero Church of Uganda Secondary School in Rakai District.
Police were later deployed to restore calm, but the situation remained unresolved as stakeholders failed to reach a consensus.
Parents continued to insist on Muhwezi’s retention, alleging that the decision to transfer him was based on what they described as “unverified and negative information.”
Responding to the situation, Muhwezi acknowledged that there were disagreements among diocesan authorities regarding the transfer.
He, however, said he does not oppose being moved, as long as due process and legal procedures are followed.
Officials of the West Buganda Diocese in Sembabule declined to comment on the controversy.
Despite this, parents have maintained their stance, pointing to Muhwezi’s role in stabilising the school and improving its academic performance as reasons he should remain in office.
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