MUGABE R
Grief has engulfed residents of Rwerere Town Council in Rukungiri District following the tragic death of a Primary Three pupil after a violent windstorm collapsed part of a classroom block at Rwerere SDA Nursery and Primary School.
The deceased has been identified as Princess Ashaba, a pupil at the school, a private institution owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church offering nursery and lower primary education up to Primary Three.
The incident occurred during the lunch break as pupils gathered near the classroom block. Witnesses say a sudden and powerful windstorm struck the area, bringing down part of the structure and sending bricks flying. Princess Ashaba sustained severe head injuries and heavy bleeding in the chaos.
She was rushed to Nyakibale Hospital for emergency treatment but died on the way. Four other pupils who were injured in the incident are currently receiving treatment at health facilities within Rwerere Town Council and at Kambuga Hospital.
Residents described the windstorm as unusually intense, with strong gusts moving in a defined direction and causing widespread damage to property, including solar panels and satellite equipment on nearby homes. Some locals also reported a strange, darkened atmosphere at the time of the incident.
Police from Rukungiri Central Police Station visited the scene to document the incident and begin investigations. The body was later taken to Buyanja Health Centre III mortuary for a postmortem examination as inquiries continue.
Local leaders and community members have since expressed concern over the safety of school structures, especially in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.
