By Johannah Nantongo
Police in Kampala are investigating circumstances under which a third-year Kyambogo University student died in a hostel room.
Joshua Cherop, a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities student attached to Kulubya Hall, was found in a room at the Sisters’ Hostel.
Dean of Students, Bridget Mugume, said police transported the body to the city mortuary for a post-mortem examination.
The university described the death as suicide, although police had yet to issue an independent statement on the circumstances. Education
Cherop came from Rotin Village, Nyimei Parish in Kwany Sub-county, Kween District.
His family has been contacted, and the university said it would support the burial under its students’ welfare policy.
The incident highlights concerns about mental health in Ugandan universities.
A 2022 study of 540 undergraduates in southwestern Uganda found that 31.85% had experienced suicidal thoughts in the previous year, 8.15% had made plans and 6.11% had attempted suicide.
A separate review identified 23 reported deaths by suicide among Ugandan university students between 2010 and 2020, 19 of them male.
Researchers warned that the total was likely higher because Uganda lacks a central suicide database. Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Police registered 218 attempted-suicide cases nationally in 2024 but did not publish figures for deaths, saying suicide is not classified as a crime.
Anyone experiencing emotional distress or thoughts of self-harm should seek immediate assistance from a trusted person, health professional or the nearest health facility.