Uganda, March 17 -- When you spend six years in one school, it becomes home and, try as you might, you never really leave; even after 30 or so years. That was the feeling early morning, Monday this week, when I drove into Namilyango College, near Kampala.

I found three students at the administration block, looking all doom and gloom, like somebody had eaten their breakfast. They told me they had been suspended. And it was clear that unlike in our days when a two-weeks suspension meant you packed a novel and walked to Seeta to board a taxi to Kampala, and then home, Namilyango now does it gung-ho style: get all your belongings and go!

Their crime: "we were found with 'illegals' [prohibited items]". I was sympathetic and told them to 'swa...