education 7 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Kyambogo University Mourns Third Student Death in Months After Arson Attack
Kyambogo University is in mourning following the death of a first-year student, Juma Bumba, who succumbed to severe burn injuries sustained in an arson attack at his rented accommodation. This marks the third student fatality at the institution in under three months. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/shock-as-another-kyambogo-university-student-dies-after-rental-fire-5487654
Tragedy has struck Kyambogo University once again with the death of Juma Bumba, a first-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Procurement and Logistics Management. Bumba passed away on Saturday morning, June 6, 2026, after sustaining critical burn injuries during an attack in his rented room in Bweyogerere.
According to a statement from the Dean of Students, Bridget Mugume, the university is covering the costs associated with Bumba’s burial, which is scheduled to take place in Budaka District. However, due to Ministry of Health Ebola prevention guidelines, no official university delegation will attend the service.
This incident casts a somber shadow over the university, coming just a month after another student, Brighton Kamugisha, was found dead in his hostel room. The preliminary police report indicated hypertrophic heart disease as the cause of Kamugisha’s death.
Earlier in March, the Kyambogo community also lost Anita Scovia Cherotich in a tragic boda-boda accident, also in the Bweyogerere area. The recurring loss of student lives has raised serious concerns about safety and security for students living both on and off-campus.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the arson attack on Bumba’s residence to apprehend those responsible. The circumstances surrounding these recent student deaths highlight a worrying trend across Ugandan higher education institutions, prompting a renewed focus on student welfare and safety measures.