Tragedy in Kisasi as Four Pupils Die from Suspected Poisoning

A profound sense of grief has engulfed Kisasi, Kampala, following the tragic deaths of four pupils from Ta-Alim Primary School and Quran Memorisation Centre. The children fell seriously ill after suffering sudden stomach complications, with preliminary police investigations pointing strongly toward suspected poisoning.

Kampala Metropolitan Police identified the deceased as 11-year-olds Mariam Nakitende, Rwahim Kiruta, and Nasuna Nusufa, alongside nine-year-old Nabeta Failuzi. Following the tragedy, police homicide detectives cordoned off the school premises as a crime scene, and the institution has since been closed down.

According to local leaders and accounts from distraught parents, the ordeal began unfolding in the middle of the night when students started showing severe symptoms. While initial reactions involved administering basic first aid or seeking help at nearby clinics, the situation quickly escalated. The school administration began releasing children to their parents as conditions worsened.

Distraught families have shared harrowing details of their final hours with the children. Parents reported receiving urgent calls from the school before rushing their children to various health facilities, including Anex Medical Centre, Kasangati Hospital, and Mulago Hospital. Tragically, despite frantic medical interventions, the young learners succumbed to their conditions. Some parents expressed deep frustration with the school administration, claiming a lack of direct communication and transparency regarding the sequence of events.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala stated that investigations are very much active. Detectives are reviewing all potential sources of contamination, including investigating the village origin of oranges the pupils reportedly shared. Meanwhile, police medical teams have been conducting postmortem examinations at the Mulago City Mortuary to conclusively establish the exact cause of death.

Read more details about this developing story on The Observer.