Substance abuse among teenagers has skyrocketed in recent years and destroyed the lives of thousands of children especially in A-listed or high-class schools in Uganda. This could perhaps be one of the reasons to believe that Robert Kyagulanyi’s son Solomon Kampala Sekayi Kyagulanyi, 17, may have indulged in the vice that earned him suspension from the prestigious St. Mary’s College Kisubi – along Entebbe road.
Some online media outlets have reported that the flamboyant young Kyagulanyi was found with drugs in his suit case wrapped in papers like cigarettes during a spot check that was carried out by the school administrators.
Some online outlets have quoted SMACK headmaster Brother Deodati Aliganyira stating quite openly that Solomon was found with drugs wrapped in papers like cigarettes and a lighter. He was then given a two weeks suspension that started on February 1st, 2022 basing the resolution to zero tolerance for indiscipline.
Although as we said, drug abuse in schools is a big problem, the involvement of Kampala has created doubt in the minds of many people given his status as a son of the leading opposition figure Robert Kyagulanyi, whose well documented drug past has become common fodder for his opponents who try to use the troubled past to tarnish his image.
Several netizens believe that the drugs that were found in Kampala’s bag were planted in his suitcase the same way guns were planted in his father’s hotel room during the Arua Municipality parliamentary by-elections in 2018.
“If the state can plant guns in his father’s hotel room then how difficult would it be to plant drugs in a son’s suitcase in a well known state aided school..” said a one Huzakananura said on tweeter.
One Cawell tweeted: “Diversion. This was all planned…, Deodat Aliganyira (Headmaster) and warden Addison Akelo. There is no way you can bring anything in SMACK that is not checked and allowed.”
Rojar also argued that someone might have planted the weeds in Solomon’s belongings to tarnish his father’s name.
The story has sparked a fiery debate that also risks to dent the reputation of the hitherto good school as well as the media houses that highlighted it. Some of Bobi Wine’s supporters have attacked the school’s headmaster for failing to protect the teenager and simply freely exposed him while talking to the media.
“Substance abuse among teenagers is everywhere; Solomon is at a stage where teens do a lot of staff. They are exploring new ground, not forgetting the adolescence drive. Other kids are also doing the same, I don’t hear you report them. This ain’t news , this is something that should be handled by the school and his family,” Virgo said.
The blame is on the school. How they expose a child’s information to the public that’s if it is authentic news. Anyway whoever went through adolescence and high school knows it makes no news because we also had our own version of wrongs. Just guide your child and forget Solomon. Yours may do worse.” Mugisha said.
In the meantime, the NRM supporters are feasting on the news and have likened the son to his father.
“I almost asked myself why he was at home watching Beckham videos of receiving shirts while others are in schools. And the NUP gang talks about others as drunkards without evidence.
Ronnie Darious commented with a dig saying: “The Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
The media houses that first ran the story used a 2020 video that was reportedly made using the social media app tiktok. In the video, Kampala is seen puffing away thick smoke. But Kampala came out later and denied the smoke was real. He said he simply used a video effect for smoking that is embedded in the tiktok app. Real or not, the fact that he went for the questionable effect, has led some to believe he’s into drugs considering that he glorifies drug abuse.
