A student at Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Alvin Nyanja, has died under mysterious circumstances following a visit from his girlfriend, prompting a Police investigation into what was initially reported as a suicide.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in Mbuya, Nakawa Division, Kampala, where Nyanja had been renting an apartment on Ismael Road. Police say the deceased was found unconscious in his room shortly after a visit from Eunice Birungi, also a MUBS student, and later pronounced dead at a nearby clinic.
Birungi, who was the last person to see Nyanja alive, was arrested shortly after the incident and questioned by detectives. Though released on Police bond—reportedly to allow her to sit for ongoing exams—she remains a person of interest in the case.
“Birungi was arrested to aid investigations,” a detective said. “Her release on bond is procedural, but she is not off the hook.”
The case is being handled by officers from Jinja Road Police Station and was first reported at Nadiope Police Post. Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the development, saying officers responded to an emergency call reporting a suspected suicide.
“Unfortunately, the officers were later informed that the victim had passed away at a health facility where he had been rushed,” Owoyesigyire said.
Strained Relationship Raises Questions
Preliminary findings suggest the death may be linked to a troubled relationship between the two students. A Police report notes that the couple had ongoing issues.
Nyanja’s landlady, Shamim Luwano, told investigators that Birungi was the only visitor that day and was the one who identified the body to authorities.
Students at MUBS expressed disbelief and suspicion.
“Something doesn’t add up. Nyanja was emotional, but ending his life like that is unfair,” said one student who knew the couple.
The body was laid to rest on Wednesday in Kalongo, Kalisizo District.
Pattern of Sudden Deaths in Nakawa Division
Nyanja’s death marks the second suspicious incident in Nakawa Division within four days and the third such case in a week, raising concerns over a troubling pattern.
On June 29, a 28-year-old woman identified only as Shamia died under unclear circumstances in a motel bathroom in Butabika, where she had spent the night with her fiancé, Anthony Beebwa. Beebwa was arrested as part of ongoing investigations.
Just a week earlier, on June 22, renowned gynecologist Dr. John Bosco Spire Kiggundu was found dead in a guesthouse room in Kajjansi, Wakiso District. Surveillance footage showed a young woman with him on the night of his death. She has since been taken into custody.
According to the 2024 Annual Police Crime Report, Uganda recorded 4,329 homicide cases last year, an increase from 4,248 in 2023.
Police say investigations into all three incidents are ongoing, with further updates expected in the coming days.
