Two people have died in separate suspected suicide-by-hanging incidents in Kisoro District within a span of about 15 hours. The first incident occurred on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at about 7:00 pm in Mataramba Village, Gisozi Parish, Muramba Sub-county, where 80-year-old Andrew Ndagijimana was found hanging inside his house.
According to Tereza Nyirayanze, Ndagijimana’s wife, she left him at home at about 7:00 am and crossed into the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo to cultivate her land. Nyirayanze said that when she returned home in the evening, she found the door to their house locked from inside.
After failing to open it, she alerted neighbours, who helped her break down the door. They were shocked to find Ndagijimana hanging from a rope inside the house. The second incident occurred on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at about 10:00 am in Chahi Village, Northern Division, Kisoro Municipality, where Brian Mbonyebyombi was also found hanging.
Police said Mbonyebyombi had reportedly returned home drunk and demanded food from his wife. Shortly afterwards, his wife went to their bedroom, where she found him hanging from a rope. Nelson Tumushime, the Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson, confirmed the two incidents and said investigations were ongoing.
Tumushime said preliminary investigations indicate that Mbonyebyombi had previously attempted to take his own life several times, particularly after consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. He urged people experiencing stress, depression or financial difficulties to seek support from counsellors, religious leaders, family members or trusted friends instead of attempting suicide.
The incidents come amid concerns over the link between alcohol abuse and mental health challenges in the Kigezi region. According to the Uganda National Institute of Public Health, alcohol use disorder significantly increases the risk of suicide in the region by worsening mental health, reducing impulse control and aggravating social and financial difficulties.
A psychiatric report presented last week by Dr Bitungwa Johnson, Principal Psychiatric Clinical Officer at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, indicates that 531 patients with psychiatric conditions linked to alcohol use disorder were admitted to the facility between July 2025 and February 2026.
Of these, 240 patients were from Kabale District, 70 from Kanungu, 82 from Kisoro, 27 from Rubanda, 36 from Rukiga, and 76 from Rukungiri. The report further indicates that the hospital recorded 311 cases linked to alcohol use disorder between July 2023 and June 2024. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the two deaths-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
