The Headteacher of Salama School of Blind, Francis Kinubi has disclosed that the school received warnings over possible terror attacks ahead of the expected visit of Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne together with her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence to the school this Friday.
Kinubi says warning were made by eight officers from the Birmingham palace royal guard who visited the school twice to assess the security measures of the place, but the headteacher now admits they took the warning lightheartedly.
He also notes that royal guards instructed them to limit the number of people at the school before warning them against revealing information about the visit to the general public.
“We submitted profiles of every person who was to attend the Princess’s visit,” KInubi says. “For the terror threats, we thought it is something that would not happen to us as earlier warned, for the years we have been existence, we have never received any attacks involving injuring of our children. When you look at the hostel, fire started from the side without power connectivity making it hard to say that it was sparked off any power fault. But anyway, leave this to police to investigate and find out what exactly happened.”
On Monday night, fire gutted the girl’s hostel at around 11pm in which eleven girls perished. Seven were rushed to Herona hospital for first aid and later, five were referred to Mulago hospital for specialized treatment, under critical condition. The five are Damali Nalugwa, Blessing Namuyomba, Paula Ndagire, Stecia Nabuma, Annet Namawejje and Docus Ulika.
The deceased have also been taken to Mulago hospital for DNA testing to match with their relatives’. These include Shamilah Kalamu and Gladys Namuga (P5), Pretty Pillioty (P4), Patricia Namulondo and Peace Naluminsa (P3), Josephine Namuwonge, Agnes Nantume, Rebeccah Namulondo, Veronica Nassali, Ket Nanduttu and Leticia Nakayima (P1).
The Chief of Military Intelligence, Major General James Birungi on visiting the scene crime on Tuesday morning, noted that currently the exact cause of the tragedy is not known by anybody, but the intelligence team is committed to find out the real cause.
“All what is currently said are allegations, we have heard the school has had some land wrangles, some internal management misunderstandings and now visiting of the princess, they are all speculations that will take us to the exact cause,” Major General Birungi notes.
The Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Stephen Tanui says they will share security points with the school internally. He says are committed to pursuing the culprits.
Meanwhile, Princess Anne and the husband are expected to visit the country today and leave on Friday 28, this month. Salama school of blind is among the places she is expected to visit.
