Multiple Junior School on Mvule Crescent in Southern Division is on the brink of closure after a damning inspection and an unannounced visit by a government minister exposed what authorities describe as years of mismanagement, non-compliance, and arrogance by school management.
In a strongly worded letter dated this week, Jinja City Education Officer Baliraine Paul Mugaju has summoned the school’s director(s), the School Management Committee and the PTA executive to an “urgent meeting” on Friday, July 17, 2026 at 2:00pm at the school premises to “reach a lasting solution to the seemingly appalling situation.”
The meeting, which will be held “at your cost”, comes hours after Hon. Dr. Mercy Faith Lakisa, State Minister of Gender,Labour and Social Development in charge of Youth and Children Affairs and Alebtong District Woman MP, paid an impromptu visit to the school and found what sources describe as chaos, defiance, and possible illegal operation.
Minister Receives Cold Reception At Cps, Confronts “Big-Headed” Director.
According to eyewitness accounts, Dr. Lakisa’s visit began at Jinja Central Police Station where she was met with a “cold, casual and disjointed reception” by officers who did not recognize her. It was only when her security detail — including armed counter-terrorism officers — arrived that police realized they were dealing with a minister, not “an angry customer.”
Accompanied by police and officials from the Uganda Human Rights Commission, the Minister proceeded to Multiple Junior School where she was initially blocked by a “stubborn gateman” who refused to open the gate until ordered by police.
Inside, the school’s director, Hamza Kizito, allegedly introduced himself as the headteacher and claimed “the director was not around.” The ruse collapsed when one of the pupils told the Minister the truth, exposing Kizito’s deception to the embarrassment of officials present.
Dr. Lakisa conducted lengthy questioning and interactions with pupils and teachers.
School Allegedly Operating Without License.
Reliable sources within the education department indicate that Multiple Junior School does not have a valid operating license or other statutory requirements.
Due to the findings and “continuing complaints from stakeholders”, Mugaju noted that several interventions have already been instituted, including his personal visit and a technical inspection led by the Senior Inspector of Schools. A copy of that inspection report was sent to the school director.
The City Education Officer warned that “failure to comply with the instruction will leave me with no option but to follow you with the law to your detriment as the education laws and guidelines provide.”
By copy of the letter, the Senior Inspector of Schools, Senior Education Officer, and Southern Division staff have been invited to attend. The Town Clerk and Senior Legal Officer of Jinja City have also been copied.
Pupils Face Possible Transfer As City Plans Intervention.
Officials now fear the worst. Education department sources say that together with the City Security Committee and other stakeholders, plans are being drawn to transfer pupils to other schools within the city, should the school be shut down.
“This is the price one pays for being braggadocious and arrogant while at the same time being non-compliant,” a senior city official said. “Simply because one is running a private education business does not mean the children are private property. They belong to the Government of Uganda.”
“Kisanza No Sleep”: Ministers Take the Fight to The Field.
The Jinja incident is not isolated, i is part of a nationwide crackdown being led by what many are calling “the current crop of youthful, dynamic and results-oriented ministers” who are now fully deployed in the field.
Across the country, ministers are conducting unannounced inspections in schools, health facilities, roads, districts, and city and municipal councils on fact-finding missions. Their visits are often causing instant arrests, interdictions, and suspensions, which are then followed within hours by official written communication from the Permanent Secretary.
And whenever they arrive, the catchword is the same, and it is now echoing from Kampala to Karamoja: “KISANZA NO SLEEP.”
It is a warning and a promise. Time is up for the corrupt and for those who have undermined and frustrated service delivery for far too long.
The message is being felt, even before the ministers land. As usual, Ugandans have not stopped at trivializing even the most serious issues. Social media platforms are now awash with AI-generated images of road equipment running at breakneck speed as early as 5:00am.
The photos, shared widely on Tik-Tok, WhatsApp, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), purport to show engineers scrambling to work because they got wind that the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahaara, and his Deputy, Hon. Justice Nameere, would be visiting their local governments the following day.
Pupils: “Teachers Use Us as Drums”
At the school, the most disturbing testimony came from the pupils themselves.
They narrated how they suffer in the hands of teachers who have turned them into “drums.” They cited many teachers, but one name stood out: Teacher Alex.
According to the pupils, Teacher Alex is not only a teacher but also the supplier and keeper of bunches of guava stem sticks. The sticks are kept in either the P6 or P7 classroom.
“Any teacher whose hand itches and wants to discipline any pupil just walks over to him, displays a sign language, and he or she is given the right size,” the pupils told the Minister.
Dr. Lakisa was shocked and kept asking whether leaders in Jinja City, including police, had gone to sleep.
“Cases are reported but they have always chosen ‘roundtable discussion’ with Hamza Kizito,” she said. “No wonder the arrogance and defiance.”
The practice is in direct violation of The Children Act Cap 59, The Education Act 2008, and Ministry of Education Circular No. 7 of 2016 which banned corporal punishment in all schools and directed headteachers to use alternative discipline methods. The circular warns that proprietors and headteachers who allow corporal punishment risk closure and deregistration.
For the children of Multiple Junior, the sticks may finally be coming down. For the city, the meeting on Friday will decide what comes next.
