local news 24 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Ibanda Police Recover Body of Unidentified Minor Dumped in River
The Ibanda District police have retrieved the decomposing body of an unidentified minor, believed to be between eight and nine years old, found near River Ekyambu. The discovery has sent shockwaves through the local community, with no one yet coming forward to identify the child. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/ibanda-police-retrieve-body-of-minor-dumped-in-river-5471642
Residents of Ibanda Municipality were stunned by the discovery of a young girl’s body near the Ekyambu River on Friday evening. The decomposing remains, estimated to be of a child aged eight to nine, were spotted by a teenager collecting firewood who noticed a swarm of flies and what appeared to be a human hand near the water’s edge.
The incident prompted an immediate alert to local authorities. The Ibanda Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Godfrey Mbetegyereize, confirmed that the body had begun to decay significantly by the time police arrived at the scene in Ruyonza Cell, Bufunda Ward.
Community members have been unable to identify the child, and no reports of a missing child have been filed in the area, raising further concerns about the circumstances of her death. Authorities suspect the body may have been transported downstream from neighboring districts, as River Ekyambu originates in Kazo District before flowing through Ibanda.
“We suspect the body might have been dumped from either Kazo since the river flows from there to Ibanda, but we are still investigating,” Mr. Mbetegyereize stated.
The retrieved body has been taken to Ruhoko Health Centre IV for a postmortem examination. Police and local officials are appealing to the public for any information that could help identify the child and potentially lead to those responsible for her death. Anyone with knowledge of the deceased is urged to come forward.