Mbale: Teenager Found Dead in Suspected Suicide, Second Case This Month

Tragedy has struck Mbale City once again as a 19-year-old Senior Five student, identified as Namakoye Vanisa from Mbale Progressive Secondary School, was discovered deceased in her home on Thursday night. This incident follows closely on the heels of another suspected suicide of a schoolgirl in the same city earlier this month.

According to Elgon Regional Police spokesperson Rogers Taitika, initial findings suggest a domestic dispute may have preceded Vanisa’s death. Reports indicate the student allegedly became upset with her younger sister after the sister lost Shs10,000 meant for purchasing food. After an intervention by their grandmother, Vanisa reportedly secluded herself in a room.

Her parents discovered her unresponsive upon returning home later that night. Police have since visited the scene, gathered witness accounts, and transported the body to Mbale City Mortuary for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death. Investigations are actively underway to understand the full context of the incident.

Authorities have noted that Vanisa was reportedly a close acquaintance of Nelima Catherine, a 16-year-old Senior Three student from Mbale High School, who was also found dead at her residence earlier in June, with her case also being treated as a suspected suicide. The Elgon region has seen a concerning trend, with 11 suspected suicide cases in 2025, slightly down from 13 in 2024. This latest death has amplified calls from community leaders and parents for greater attention to the mental well-being of the youth in the region.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/another-schoolgirl-found-dead-in-suspected-suicide-case-in-mbale—5495206