Disaster struck at Madonna Hostel, Kyambogo after a section of its perimeter wall crumbled for the second time in less than a decade — and this time, a student’s secret joyride ended in disaster.
According to witnesses, one resident of the hostel sneaked his father’s car into the compound, only for the collapsing wall to “do him dirty,” crushing the vehicle and leaving him in a panic over how to break the news at home.
“He doesn’t even know where to start with his dad,” one hostel mate told us. “The wall came down and the car was right there. You can imagine the shock.”
This is not the first time Madonna Hostel’s wall has failed. The last major collapse was in 2016, just a year after the building opened. Locals say the structure has always been a ticking time bomb, especially during heavy rains.
“I don’t know how this hostel has survived ten years,” another resident said. “It was brand new in 2015, but every time it rained, I held my rosary tight.”
The latest incident raises fresh questions about safety standards at the hostel, which accommodates scores of students. With residents now fearing for their own security, the management faces mounting pressure to explain why such basic infrastructure keeps giving way.
As for the unlucky student, his immediate concern is much closer to home: confessing to his father that his unapproved midnight drive has ended in smashed concrete — and a damaged car.
