Annet Namawejje, one of the two survivors of the 2022 infernal still attends Salama School of the Blind in Mukono. PHOTO/George Katongole
Rebecca Namulondo, 9, had a chilling premonition of impending doom.
In an emotional revelation, Godfrey Wamunyokoli, a Mathematics and Science teacher at the Salama School of the Blind, 40km east of Kampala in Luga Village, Kisoga Sub-county, Mukono District, shared a chilling detail about the tragedy that befell the school on October 25, 2022.
The school was buzzing with excitement as pupils prepared for Princess Royal Anne's visit which was due on Friday, October 28. Groups practiced songs, dances and poems in the school compound.
The children were filled with a sense of pride and excitement, knowing that they were preparing a special performance for such a distinguished visitor. They were eager to showcase their talents and share their stories with the world.
Wamunyokoli who reveals that it's the first time he has talked in detail about the deaths says, Namulondo had a ‘sixth sense’ about the death. Namulondo alongside 11 other learners died in the school fire described by the police as an arsonist activity.
While the world was devastated by the death of the 12 innocent souls, Namulondo, who was just nine years old at the time, had a feeling that her days were numbered.
Describing the eerie moments, Wamunyokoli recounted Namulondo's instincts about the tragic day which claimed her life and those of Cate Nandutu, Leticia Nakayima, Damalie Nalugwa, Peace Naluminsa, Patricia Mudondo, Pretty Pirotho, Veronica Nassali, Gladys Namugga, Agnes Nantume, Kalam Shamirah and Josephine Namuwonge.
Dorothy Ssebadduka, the new head teacher of Salama School of the Blind. A monument was established for the perished 12 children at the school.
Describing her as a great pianist and singer, Wamunyokoli says, "On 22nd, three days to the tragedy we had the old students party. I recorded her with my phone playing the piano while singing the hymn Katonda Onsembeze (Nearer, My God, to Thee). I later deleted it," he says.
The well-known hymn is the alleged last song the band on ocean liner RMS Titanic played before the ship sank.
"It still sounds like premonitory. The way she sung and acted maybe she knew instinctively that something was off. We could not just read the signs," he recalls.
The new mother
Two years later, a lot of water has gone under the bridge. The school’s former head teacher Francis Kinubbi, has retired to private life in Kisoga. His position has been filled by Dorothy Ssebadduka. The two other male teachers have left, leaving Wamunyokoli as the only permanent teacher to have witnessed the tragedy.
The school, situated on 37 acres of land surrounded by tea plantations and rural farms in Luga Village, Ntenjeru Sub-County, Mukono District, has been under Ssebadduka's leadership since January 2023.
Prior to her appointment, Ssebadduka was the head teacher of Kivuvu PS in Nama Sub-county, Mukono District. Her passion for working with special needs children stems from her childhood experiences visiting the physically handicapped at Good Samaritan Sisters/Bakateyamba in Nalukolongo.
As a Special Needs teacher, Ssebadduka followed the tragic events at Salama School unfold on television.
"When I saw the news in the morning, I felt so bad," she recalls. "I even cried. I couldn't understand why anyone would harm such innocent vulnerable children," she says. Little did she know that she would soon be transferred to the school.
Ssebadduka initially resisted the transfer to the school after witnessing the mass funeral on November 2, 2022.
“In fact when the Head Teachers Association of Mukono mobilised us to visit the school on the day of the mass when they brought the bodies, I refused to come. I did not want to see those bodies," she admits. "The images I saw on TV were too much for me."
However, after being persuaded by the District Education Officer (DEO), she agreed to take on the challenging role.
“The DEO counselled and guide me and asked me to be a mother to the children,” she recalls.
For seven months, she commuted daily to her home in Mukono to avoid staying at the school.
A teacher's tale of the tragedy
Wamunyokoli, a teacher at the school since 2018, vividly recalls the night of the fire.
"It was a terrible day," he says. "We were eagerly preparing for Princess Anne's visit, rehearsing songs and games. On October 23rd, the police conducted a security assessment. After finishing evening preps on October 24th, I went to the dormitory and reminded the students about the noise they were making during their night prayers."
Haunted by the thought that his intervention might have prevented the tragedy, Wamunyokoli recalls the night of the fire.
"Around midnight, I heard an alarm and rushed outside to find the dormitory engulfed in flames," he recounts. "I braved the fire and rescued several children, but sadly, the last girl I managed to save last, Damalie, succumbed to her injuries."
Wamunyokoli was among the first responders, along with Kinubbi and two herdsmen.
"Mr. Kinubbi arrived at the scene wrapped in a towel to help in the rescue. Since he was blind he was trying to touch anywhere he could," he recalls.
With the help of the school's long-serving boda-boda rider, Paulo Sseruwu, Wamunyokoli transported the injured students to Herona Hospital in Kisoga Town. Sseruwu, alerted by another rider who witnessed the fire, was devastated to learn that the first child he ferried, Damalie, had died. However, he found solace in the fact that Annet, the next child he transported, survived.
"When we arrived at the scene, there was an ambulance, but the driver seemed hesitant to enter the area," Sseruwu recounts. "We decided to transport the children to the hospital. The delay in transportation may have contributed to Damalie's tragic fate."
The decline in student numbers at the school has significantly impacted Sseruwu's business, as he now primarily transports the new head teacher and other sick children.
For Wamunyokoli, the trauma of the fire continues to haunt him.
“Sometimes I don’t want to listen to any conversations of that fire. I remember looking in the eye of hell. There are many questions that make you want to cry. I pretend to be strong but inside me I am dying,” he said.
According to Wamunyokoli, the children harbored lofty ambitions. Namulondo dreamed of a career in music, while Gladys Namugga aspired to become a news anchor. Namawejje envisioned a future as a teacher or lawyer, fighting for justice.
"The team had just returned from the goalball championships in Masaka, and Namugga and Patricia Mudondo were among the participants," Wamunyokoli recalls. "When they passed away, I deleted all the videos and photos I had taken of them during our celebrations. I was guiding them in so many ways."
A visually impaired learner at Salama School of the Blind in Mukono works on an Orbit Reader. The three-in-one device serves as a self-contained book reader, a note-taker and as a braille display by connecting to a computer or smartphone. The readers are crucial for blind people to catch up with modern technology
The aftermath
Damalie Naluggwa, 12, was the last to succumb to the fire two weeks later. Two pupils, Annet Namawejje and Blessing Namuyomba, both in Primary Two, are the only survivors who returned to school.
Whereas most parents chose not to return their children to the school, including the PTA chairman Ernest Mwebesa, Namawejje's mother Cissy Nalweyiso, who spent three months with her child in Kakubansiri Village, Kabulassoke Sub County, Mpigi District, before recovering says she had no option.
“I couldn't keep her at home. I only appeal to the authorities to enhance security. I want my daughter to excel in life,” she says.
The survivors suffered additional injuries due to the fire. Namawejje, who had hydrocephalus had a thin tube surgically placed to drain the excess cerebrospinal fluid but the fire which burnt it caused her another disability. For Nalweyiso, who is blind, now has hearing loss.
The fire left a lasting impact on the school community with the monument in the school compound a constant reminder.
The school received counseling support from Christa, a former sponsor from the Netherlands who was known locally as Namuddu. Unfortunately, Christa passed away in August of this year.
To aid in the students' recovery, the school has focused on music therapy. Students are taught songs and participate in musical and sports activities. The school has recently won silver in the just concluded East African Games in Bukedea, coming second to Team Tanzania.
This year, the school took part in the national competitions in Music and sports in Mbale as a guest choir scoring a total of 642 performing eight items.
Wamunyokoli has formed a local football team in Luga to cope with the trauma.
Despite his efforts, Wamunyokoli acknowledges that the trauma of the fire still affects him.
"I think I've overcome the worst of it, but there are moments when people remind me of the tragedy," he says.
Fear and uncertainty
As the school commemorates the ‘Black Day’ this Friday. A lot has changed in terms of infrastructure. Last year, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni commissioned the new school dormitory which was constructed by the MTN Foundation.
The school is now equipped with safety equipment such as fire detectors and fire extinguishers.
“We want to use that day to appeal to Ugandans for support. But also pass a message that people should stop burning schools,” Ssebadduka says.
When I visited Salama School of the Blind, the school had been without electricity for two weeks, rendering the security cameras inoperable. Ssebadduka explains that the school's limited resources prevent them from consistently paying for electricity.
"The cameras rely on electricity, but they haven't been functioning for two weeks due to the depleted YAKA units," she says. "We urgently need a solar installation."
The lack of security measures has created a constant fear of another attack. The school remains unfenced, and despite assurances from authorities, a promised police post has yet to be established. Ssebadduka's efforts to improve the school's security, including meetings with high-ranking police officials, have been unsuccessful.
The school's financial situation is precarious, with a high default rate on boarding fees. Approximately 90 percent of students are unable to pay the full fee of Shs370,000 per term. Many of these children come from impoverished families or have been abandoned, making it challenging for the school to provide adequate support.
Founded in April 1999 to serve visually impaired children and young adults, the school is in dire need of essential educational materials, such as Braille paper (Shs300,000 per ream) and slates (Shs77,000), as well as food supplies.
As the world increasingly embraces technology, there is a growing need for blind students to have access to orbit readers. These devices can enhance their learning experience and provide greater independence.
The school faces additional challenges in providing adequate medical care for its students. The absence of a sick bay and a dedicated nurse makes it difficult to address common illnesses such as flu, fevers, coughs, malaria, and occasionally, typhoid. To mitigate this issue, one of the teachers, Madam Anna Kedi Teopista, has received first aid training.
Fire safety is another priority for the school. Refilling the 8kg fire extinguishers at a cost of Shs50,000 per extinguisher is a financial burden. Furthermore, the smoke detectors often cause unnecessary panic among the students, leading to dangerous situations like jumping out of windows.
This story is written in memory of; Cate Nandutu, Leticia Nakayima, Damalie Nalugwa, Peace Naluminsa, Patricia Mudondo, Pretty Pirotho, Rebecca Namulondo, Veronica Nassali, Gladys
Namugga, Agnes Nantume, Kalam Shamirah and Josephine Namuwonge.
Josephine Namuwonge
Born: 2016
Class: Primary 1 (6yrs)
Hobbies: Singing and dancing
Parents: Julius Muyomba
Place of origin: Busega, Kampala
Kalam Shamirah
Born: 2015 (7yrs)
Class: Primary 1
Hobby: Singing
Parents: Farouk Kalam
Place of origin: Kamuli
Agnes Nantume
Born: 2015 (7yrs)
Class: Primary 1
Hobby: Guiding friends
Parents: Peter Walakira
Place of origin: Kiyanja, Mpatta, Mukono
Gladys Namugga
Born: 2012 (10yrs)
Class: Primary 5
Hobby: Reading and singing
Parents: Daisy Nabulya
Place of origin: Nanziga, Nsangi, Wakiso
Veronica Nassali
Born: 2015 (7yrs)
Class: Primary 1
Hobby: Singing, reading and dancing
Parents: Peter Kiggundu
Place of origin: Lwasandeku, Kalungu, Masaka
Rebecca Namulondo
Born: 2013 (9yrs)
Class: Primary 1
Hobby: Singing, helping friends, sweeping
Parents: Charles Sejuule
Place of origin: Nalongo, Luweero
Pretty Pirotho
Born: 2008 (14yrs)
Class: Primary 4
Hobby: Guiding and playing with friends
Parents: Joseph Tingo Openja
Place of origin: Panyango, Packwach
Patricia Mudondo
Born: 2009 (13yrs)
Class: Primary 3
Hobby: Reading, singing, spelling words, athletics
Parents: Tom Jaala
Place of origin: Dodoyi, Kadama, Kibuku
Peace Naluminsa
Born: 2011 (11yrs)
Class: Primary 3
Hobby: Playing keyboard and singing
Parents: Rogers Kigenyi
Place of origin: Najja, Buikwe
Damalie Nalugwa
Born: 2016 (12yrs)
Class: Primary 3
Hobby: MDD, Reading and writing
Parents: Ssalongo Fred Ssekusamba
Place of origin: Nakanyonyi, Mukono
Leticia Nakayima
Born: 2016 (7yrs)
Class: Primary 1
Hobby: Playing with friends
Parents: Ssalongo Godfrey Ssekate
Place of origin: Lwamikoma, Kitutu, Mpigi
Cate Nandutu
Born: 2008 (14yrs)
Class: Primary 1
Hobby: Singing, guiding friends and sweeping
Parents: Samuel Situmwa
Place of origin: Namisindwa, Mbale
