Two die in suspected suicide incidents in Kisoro

Two people have died in separate suspected suicide-by-hanging incidents in Kisoro district within about 15 hours.

The first incident occurred on Saturday, September 5, at about 7pm 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 am and crossed into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to cultivate her land.

Nyirayanze said that when she returned home in the evening, she found the door to their house locked from the inside. After failing to open it, she alerted neighbours, who helped her break down the door. They found Ndagijimana hanging from a rope inside the house.

The second incident occurred on Sunday, September 6, at about 10 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 and 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 findings 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 rather than attempting suicide.

The incidents have renewed concerns about 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 can increase the risk of suicide by worsening mental health, reducing impulse control and aggravating social and financial difficulties.

A psychiatric report presented last week by Dr Johnson Bitungwa, the 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.

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