Four young children were killed and several others seriously wounded on Thursday when a machete-wielding man attacked a nursery school in the Ggaba district of Kampala, Uganda’s capital, in a brutal assault that has sent shockwaves through the country and reignited fierce debate about child safety, community mental health support, and the roots of violence in Ugandan society.
The suspect, who police say posed as a parent to gain access to the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Program School, was detained by an angry crowd before officers arrived. He is currently in police custody undergoing psychiatric evaluation. The children who died were all aged three or younger.
What Happened at Ggaba
According to witnesses and police accounts, the attacker entered the school grounds in the mid-morning hours, passing himself off as a parent collecting a child. Within minutes of entering the classroom area, he attacked with a machete before school staff and community members could intervene.
“He came in calmly, like someone who belonged there,” said one teacher at the school who asked not to be named. “Then we heard screaming. By the time we ran, it was already too late.”
The police quick response unit arrived within 20 minutes and surrounded the school. The suspect was apprehended after a brief struggle and taken into custody. No other adults were injured.
Uganda’s President Responds
President Yoweri Museveni condemned the attack in a post on social media, calling it “a cowardly act against innocent children” and ordering the police to provide a full accounting of the suspect’s background and any prior criminal record.
Uganda’s Inspector General of Police visited the scene later in the day and announced a formal investigation into the incident, including an audit of security protocols at early childhood development centers nationwide.
“This should not have happened,” the IGP said. “We will leave no stone unturned in understanding how this individual gained access and what could have been done to prevent this tragedy.”
A Pattern of Violence in Schools
The Ggaba attack is the latest in a troubling series of violent incidents in Ugandan educational institutions in recent years. While mass-casualty attacks on schools remain rare in Uganda — unlike in neighboring Kenya, where Al-Shabaab has carried out high-profile school assaults — educators and child welfare advocates say the country has paid insufficient attention to the threat of individual actors.
“We talk a great deal about school safety in the context of terrorism,” said Dr. Priscilla Nshakira, a child psychologist at Makerere University. “But we have not adequately grappled with the risk posed by disturbed individuals within our own communities. This attack is a tragic illustration of that gap.”
Mental Health in the Frame
Police have not confirmed a motive and have declined to release details of the suspect’s background pending the ongoing investigation. However, early reports suggest the attacker may have had a history of mental health difficulties.
Uganda’s mental health system remains severely under-resourced, with fewer than 200 psychiatrists for a population of over 48 million people. Community-level mental health services are virtually nonexistent outside of Kampala, and the social stigma around mental illness often prevents families from seeking help.
Community Response and Grief
In Ggaba, a predominantly low-income neighborhood on the outskirts of Kampala’s Makindye district, the mood was somber. Parents gathered at the school gates throughout the afternoon, some weeping, others demanding answers. Local religious leaders led prayers at the site where the attack occurred.
A vigil was held at dusk outside the school, drawing hundreds of community members. Many carried candles and portraits of the victims. The children’s names, released by the school administration on Friday morning, were: Adae Nantongo, 3; Ruth Nakamya, 2; Ibrahim Ssemakula, 3; and Grace Nabisere, 2.
The government has promised full support to the families of the victims, including covering all funeral costs and providing psychological support services. A national memorial fund has been established.