Namayingo, Uganda: Shock and grief engulfed residents of Bunin village, Buchumba parish, Banda Sub-County in Namayingo district after landing on the body of a 13-year-old boy who committed suicide by hanging resulting from blaming him for not fulfilling home chores.
The deceased, identified as Sanya Nelson, a pupil at Buchumba Hills Primary School and son to Hutete of Butaja village in Buyinja Sub-County, reportedly hanged himself after being scolded for failing to sweep the family compound.
According to relatives, Sanya had been sent home from the garden at around 9:00 a.m. to perform household duties, but instead went to play with friends in the neighbourhood. Upon returning home, his parents found that he had not done the assigned tasks and reprimanded him — after which he locked himself inside the house and took his own life.
“They asked him to return home and sweep the compound, but he chose to play with colleagues. When the parents returned and blamed him, he decided to hang himself,” a relative told DailyExpress.
Another relative, Ronald Wabwire, said there was no serious family dispute that could have triggered such an extreme decision, although some locals hinted at possible underlying issues of neglect or emotional distress.
“He may have been going through silent struggles. Sometimes, children experience tough situations that go unnoticed,” Wabwire added.
Local leaders, led by LC1 Defence Secretary Mr Sande Desoul, confirmed the incident and condemned the act, calling for stronger community-based counselling and parental involvement in addressing children’s psychological needs.
“This tragedy shows how critical it is for parents to handle conflicts with patience and care. We must engage children in dialogue rather than harsh reprimands,” Sande said.
He also appealed to government to urgently address the ongoing teachers’ strike, noting that prolonged school closures have left children idle at home, exposing them to emotional distress and risky behavior.
“We urge the government to resolve teachers’ issues and reopen schools. If children were in class, such incidents would be reduced,” he added.
Police in Namayingo have since opened inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death, as the community continues to mourn the young pupil whose life was tragically cut short.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
