Four female pupils of Ta’Aliim Primary School and Quran Memorisation Centre in Kawempe Division, Kampala, have died under suspected poisoning circumstances, with police investigating the incident.
The children, aged between nine and 11, reportedly died on November 10, 2026, after returning to school following a short holiday.
Police identified the deceased as Nakitende Mariam, 11, a Primary Four pupil; Kiruta Rwahim, 11, a Primary Five pupil; Nasuna Nusufa, 11, a Primary Four pupil; and Nabeta Failuzi, nine, a Primary Three pupil.
In a statement, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala said preliminary findings indicated that the four pupils died at around 2pm under circumstances suspected to be related to poisoning.
Three of the children reportedly died at their respective homes, while Nabeta died at Kasangati Hospital.
Police said postmortem examinations would be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.
The head teacher, identified in subsequent media reports as Muzahim Ssuuna, was arrested to assist with investigations. Police have not announced any charges against him.
Police forensic teams also visited the school on Wednesday, November 11, where they reportedly recovered orange peels for laboratory examination.
Preliminary accounts suggest that one of the pupils brought oranges to school and shared them with classmates. At least eight children are reported to have eaten the fruit, although investigators had not established the exact number or confirmed that the oranges caused the illness.
Former Kawempe mayor Latiff Ssebaggala told reporters that four of the affected children had died, while another was in critical condition. The surviving pupil was reportedly admitted to Mulago National Referral Hospital.
The school premises were subsequently cordoned off as a crime scene, while police began collecting evidence to establish what the children had consumed and where the suspected poisoning may have occurred.
The deaths have drawn grieving parents and relatives to the school and mortuary as families seek answers about what happened to their children.
In a related report, the Uganda Radio Network, published by The Observer, said investigators were also expected to visit the area where the oranges were reportedly obtained. The account of how the fruit was acquired remains under investigation.
Police said postmortem examinations would establish the medical cause of death, while forensic tests on the recovered materials are expected to help investigators determine whether a poisonous substance was involved.
The investigation is ongoing.
