A power struggle in Lwengo District has intensified after Chairperson Ibrahim Kitatta expelled Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Immy Kateera from overseeing public schools, citing interference in the commissioning of Katovu Seed Secondary School.
The dispute erupted after an audio clip circulated online, allegedly capturing a conversation between RDC Kateera and Bukoto West MP Muhammad Muyanja Ssentaayi, in which they reportedly discussed blocking Kitatta and his team from opening the newly constructed school.
The government invested over Shs3 billion in the project, but some leaders, including Lwengo MPs Cissy Namujju and Ssentaayi, argued that the school was not yet complete.
Contractors reported that 97% of the work was done and advised against immediate opening, a position opposed by Kitatta, who accused them of politicizing education.
Determined to proceed, Kitatta officially opened the school on February 3, 2025. In response, RDC Kateera confiscated the school's official stamp, declaring the opening illegal.
he conflict deepened after the leaked conversation revealed that the RDC had compared Kitatta’s leadership style to that of National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, angering NUP-affiliated district councillors.
They demanded an apology, arguing that Kyagulanyi’s name should not be dragged into local disputes. Kateera refused to apologize, standing by his remarks.
Kitatta, upon hearing the recording, gave the RDC a seven-day ultimatum to issue a written apology, which was ignored.
The leaked conversation further suggested that Kateera and Ssentaayi wanted the school’s opening delayed until after the elections, a move Kitatta rejected, claiming it was an attempt to damage his administration’s reputation.
With tensions escalating, Kitatta wrote to the RDC demanding the immediate return of the confiscated stamp within 24 hours, threatening to mobilize residents to retrieve it if his demand was not met.
“I wanted to inform him in my voice and in writing that I need that stamp immediately. If he refuses, we will storm his office,” Kitatta declared.
Kateera eventually handed over the stamp, which Kitatta personally delivered to the school's head teacher.
During his visit, he inspected classrooms and publicly announced Kateera’s expulsion from all school-related matters in the district, stating that only the residents of Lwengo had authority over their schools.
“I am the governor of this district. I don’t want to see him in this school again,” he said.
Local residents have welcomed the school's opening, emphasizing its importance as the only government secondary school in the area.