Ugandan parents reject student IDs as Satanic, remanded for removing kids from school

AllAfrica.com The Monitor August 5, 2009

Uganda: Six Remanded Over 666 Biblical Figure

by Fred Siminyu


Six men who claim to be prophets and strict followers of Biblical teachings were on Friday remanded by a Grade One Magistrate's Court in Mayuge for withdrawing their children from school.

The six claim that 666, a satanic number quoted in the Bible, had been introduced in all learning institutions countrywide.

This follows the recent introduction by the government of a Pupil Identification Number (PIN) system for all children accessing free education under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme.

Under the PIN system, all pupils are supposed to be given an identification number so as to be easily traced, monitored and catered by the government under the UPE programme.

Prosecution heard that Mr Moses Kiduma, Mr Charles Mawerere, Mr Geoffrey Odoi, Mr James Kitosi, Mr John Egesa and Moses Wasukira, all residents of Bukalenzi village in Kityerera Sub-county, committed the offence at the beginning of this term when they withdrew their children from school.

The six were also accused of instructing their children to boycott the national head counting of pupils that was done throughout the country to enable the government efficiently manage the running of the UPE programme.

One of the accused, who preferred anonymity, told Daily Monitor outside court that they had withdrawn their children from UPE schools and transferred them to private schools to save them from accessing the PIN.

Quoting from Revelation 13: 16 to 18 in the New International Holy Bible, the accused said the PIN is the satanic number quoted in these verses.

Magistrate Charles Yeteise, who presided over the case, charged the six men with sabotaging the government's programmes and remanded them at Ikulwe Prison for two weeks.

This phenomena seems to be spreading fast in the Busoga region. In the past months there have been similar incidents in Jinja and Kamuli districts.


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