Schools in Kasese District allow learners to leave before official closing hours to safely cross flooding rivers

31 October 2026, 7:46 pm

By Yoweri Kaguta

Kasese: Schools operating in Nyamwamba valley in Kasese district have resorted to releasing learners before official closing time as a mitigation measure to allow them to safely cross the Nyamwamba River.

According to some school administrators, rainfall in the upstream areas of Rwenzori Mountains National Park, the Nyamwamba River swells and floods the lowlands where schools are located.

The Nyamwamba valley, which stretches about 60 kilometers from the park to Lake George, has more than 10 private and government primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

Ms. Violet Biira, the school head teacher for Masule Primary School with an enrollment of 445 pupils, said the administration is worried about what may happen now that the rainy season has begun.

Masule primary school is government grant-aided and located about 150 meters from Nyamwamba River, which has flooded several times since the rainy season set in. While at the school, the roar o the river can be clearly heard.

Ms. Biira told Comnetu that when rain is imminent before the official closing time, pupils who cross the river daily to get to school are asked to leave early so they can safely return to their respective homes without getting stranded.

Between Kyanzuki Trading Center and Masule primary school, the Nyamwamba River is crossed via a wooden bridge that risks being washed away whenever the river’s levels rise.

Ms. Biira said teachers residing at the trading center cannot cross when the river rises, and those commuting from Kasese town must use a long mountainous route to reach the school.

According to Ms. Biira, the absenteeism of both learners and teachers is likely to compromise performance in the third term.

“When the river floods, teachers who reside at Kyanzuki trading center help pupils living in the same area cross with those in lower classes being escorted across by the teachers”, Biira said.

On October 25, 2026, a senior four student at Kilembe Secondary School identified as Innocent Owomugisha left school in the afternoon and went to Nyakasanga playground to play for a local football club.

While returning with a senor six student, he drowned while attempting to cross the Nyamwamba River. His body was recovered about a kilometer downstream the following morning.

Mr. Christopher Ndyanabo, head teacher of Kilembe Secondary School, said the Nyamwamba River has been a stumbling block to development in the area.

Ï have advised my students never to risk crossing the Nyamwamba River when it is flooded. Even if a student sneaks out of school, there is no need to cross a dangerous river, and they should rather spend the night where they are than die trying to cross”, He said.

At Kyanzuki primary School, MR. Tom Masereka Basaliza says enrollment has already been affected by the frequent flooding of the Nyamwamba River.

Mr. Basaliza explained that he has assigned teachers to accompany pupils who cross the river on their way home.

Kasese is vulnerable to flash and river flooding particularly around the Nyamwamba, Nyamugasani, Mubuku and Rwim rivers, as well as other low lying areas.

In 2013, the Kyanzuki main bridge was washed away. The Bridge reconstructed in 2015 was also washed away 2020 floods, and its reconstruction has since stalled.

Mr. Richard Bomera, the Nyamwamba Catchment Committee Chairperson said the Ministry of Water and Environment has installed solar powered early warning systems in the Nyamwamba and Nyamugasana valleys to monitor the rising water levels and send updates to the Uganda National meteorological Authority Center in Entebbe for further dissemination.

“We thank schools for following our advisories regarding the behavior of the river system in our catchment. We have conducted several outreaches, and I am confident that we have minimized the risks, He said.