Nabumali High School in Mbale: has shown real muscle in producing eminent legal brains

Its birth
When the Church Missionary Society [CMS] sent Reverend Crabtree arrived at the present site of the school, on 21 December, 1900, he decided that this would be a good centre from which Christianity would be spread in the greater Kavirondo region.

Within a short time he translated the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and the Catechism into the local language and soon added singing lessons to the curriculum. By 1902, Rev. Crabtree was running a regular boarding school with 18 boys and 3 girls. However, the first seven readers were not baptised at Nabumali until 25th December 1906.

In 1909 a decision was made by the CMS Committee at Mengo to start a school of Agriculture in the Mbale area. Accordingly, the school was started at Musoto with the name Mivule High School also known to some as Mbale High School and Reverend H.K. Banks moved from Nabumali to become its first Headmaster. And so Nabumali High School was effectively born. It was soon to be transferred to the present site.
According to the chairman Board of Governors Mr. Amos Luswala, Nabumali High school was established in 1912 by the CMS of England, Formally known as Mivule High School before moving to the present site on 3 July, 1917.

The magnificent plateau site along the slopes of the volcanic Mount Elgon, strategically located to oversee the beautiful savannah plains just below provided an excellent location for new center of education in the region.

The school which has maintained its strong Anglican Church foundation under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Mbale is a mixed government aided Advanced level Boarding Senior Secondary School.
With the posting of Canon Philip Bottomley as Headmaster in 1933, the long period of development of the school began. Most of the existing permanent structures were built by Canon Bottomley. He is remembered for being focused and determined.

Many European teachers were attracted to the school, academic standard rose tremendously. Nabumali took its place as a leading centre of academic excellence. His achievements at Nabumali High School earned him a knighthood by the Queen on 11th June 1960. Advanced Level Studies were added to the school in the mid-sixties. So, the Bottomley years were really the glorious days of Nabumali. During this period the school produced many men and women who went on to serve Uganda and the East African Region.

When Canon Bottomley left the school, Ronald Wareham took over and steered the giant for many glorious years. Under his stewardship a few buildings were added to the school. He left at the end of 1972.
However, the economic and political malaise that afflicted Uganda, following the military coup of 1971, did not spare Nabumali High School. As the political environment became unpredictable and dangerous, resources started to dwindle and the European teachers started to leave the school. The quality of life dropped the school became more restless, but the academic standard remained high throughout the seventies and eighties as the school continued to send large numbers of students to university for courses like medicine, engineering, law, education and agriculture.

The headmaster of the school Mr. James Mulomi says Nabumali will use the centennial celebrations this year where President Yoweri Museveni is expected to be the chief guest to launch a book; The history of Nabumali in 100 years, recognise old students who have contributed towards rebuilding the school, old teachers and old students who are working in public offices in the country.

“We have also invited old students living in diaspora in Australia, UK and United States of America for recognition for their immense financial contribution towards re-building the school that has now lasted for 100 years. “We intend to lobby for re-construction of our swimming pool, a new administration block and refurbishing of the library,” said Mr. Mulomi in an interview before the celebrations last Saturday.

Nabumali High School has produced many men and women who continue to serve Uganda, and, indeed, the world, in various areas of human endeavour.

During the last ten years or so the school has experienced increased unrest. Students staged strikes and riots and burnt down the Administrative Block. Many valuable documents were lost in the fire. The school infrastructure has largely gone to waste. Teachers’ houses, dormitories and classrooms need urgent repair. Academic standards of the school have declined. Nabumali High School, a giant of twentieth century, now lies in a messy shadow of its own past glory.

However, the future is starting to look bright. The old students have organised themselves into a strong association called Nabumali Old Students Association, NOSA, and are working in with the new leadership of the school with determination to restore their school to its old glory.

There is also strong hope that the funds that Government obtained from the African Development Bank to renovate schools, including Nabumali, will soon be applied well to address the urgent needs of Nabumali.
Meanwhile, the Nabumali fraternity is proudly celebrating 100 years of the existence of the giant that has produced men and women of high calibre who continue to make tremendous contributions in the development of mankind.