HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Preliminary reports by the Uganda Police indicate that suspected food or chemical poisoning could have caused the deaths of four pupils at Ta’aliim Primary School and Quran Memorisation Centre in Kawempe, Kampala, with investigators recovering orange peels from the school as they intensify investigations into the tragedy.
The recovery of the orange peels has emerged as a significant development in the investigation, following preliminary accounts that one of the pupils returned to school with oranges after a short break and shared the fruit with fellow learners, some of whom subsequently developed severe complications.
Police, however, have cautioned that the suspected poisoning theory has not yet been established as the definitive cause of death. Forensic and crime scene officers are still examining the recovered evidence, while postmortem examinations are expected to establish what medically caused the children to die.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at Ta’aliim Primary School and Quran Memorisation Centre, situated in Kikulu Zone, Kikaaya Parish, Kawempe Division.
Four female pupils, aged between nine and 11 years, died under circumstances that police suspect could be linked to poisoning. Another pupil was reportedly left in critical condition, raising further concern about the possibility that more children could have consumed the suspected contaminated food.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala confirmed the deaths and said detectives attached to Kira Road Police Division had opened investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased were identified as Mariam Nakitende, 11, a Primary Four pupil; Rwahim Kiruta, 11, a Primary Five pupil; Nusufa Nasuna, 11, also in Primary Four; and nine-year-old Failuzi Nabeta, who was in Primary Three.
Three of the children reportedly died at their respective homes, while Nabeta died at Kasangati Hospital after developing complications.
The deaths have triggered anxiety among parents, relatives and residents around the school, many of whom gathered at the institution as police forensic teams arrived to examine the premises and collect possible evidence.
Orange peels become central to investigation
On Wednesday afternoon, November 11, forensic and crime scene officers descended on the school to examine the premises and recover evidence that could help detectives reconstruct the events preceding the deaths.
Their attention focused on orange peels reportedly recovered from the school. Investigators are expected to subject the samples to forensic tests to establish whether the fruit contained poisonous substances or other chemical contaminants.
The suspected oranges became central to the investigation after accounts emerged that one of the pupils had returned to school with the fruit after going home for a short break during the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
According to former Kawempe South MP Latiff Ssebaggala, who lives near the school, the pupil reportedly shared the oranges with other children in Primary Two, Three and Four.
He told journalists that preliminary information suggested that about eight pupils could have consumed the fruit, although police had not established the exact number of children who ate it.
Of the eight reportedly identified, four had died, while another was in critical condition. The remaining children were among those whose circumstances investigators were seeking to establish.
Ssebaggala said police had recovered some of the orange peels and taken them for examination to determine whether they contained poisonous substances.
He also reported that the deceased pupils had experienced severe vomiting before their deaths, raising suspicion that they could have suffered acute reactions after consuming contaminated food.
However, investigators have not established whether the oranges were responsible for the deaths, and the recovery of the peels does not in itself prove that the fruit was contaminated.
The forensic examination is expected to establish whether the samples contain any harmful substances and provide investigators with evidence to support or rule out the suspected poisoning theory.
Headteacher arrested
In another significant development, police arrested the school’s headteacher, Mr Muzahim Ssuuna, to assist with investigations into the deaths.
The arrest is intended to help detectives establish the sequence of events at the institution, including what happened after the pupils reportedly developed complications and how the school administration responded.
Investigators are expected to establish when the children began showing symptoms, whether the school authorities were informed about their condition, and what steps were taken to secure medical attention.
Accounts from the community indicate that some of the affected pupils developed complications while at school before being sent home.
The circumstances under which the children were released from the school, and whether the administration appreciated the seriousness of their condition, are among the issues that detectives are expected to examine.
Police have not, however, publicly established that the headteacher committed any offence or that he had prior knowledge of the suspected poisoning.
His arrest should therefore be understood within the context of an ongoing investigation rather than as proof of criminal responsibility.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala confirmed that Ssuuna had been arrested following preliminary findings and that detectives were conducting comprehensive inquiries to establish what happened.
The investigation is also expected to determine whether the suspected poisoning involved food contamination, exposure to chemicals or another substance.
The headteacher’s account could help detectives establish how the school handled the incident, particularly the movement of pupils between the institution and their homes after they reportedly became ill.
Postmortem to establish cause of death
While the orange peels have provided investigators with a possible lead, police have emphasised that the exact cause of death remains unknown.
Postmortem examinations are scheduled to be conducted on the bodies of the four pupils to establish the definitive medical cause of death and provide further evidence to guide the investigation.
The examinations are expected to establish whether the children died from food poisoning, chemical exposure or another medical condition.
Police are also expected to compare the medical findings with the results of laboratory tests on the recovered orange peels to determine whether there is a connection between the suspected food contamination and the fatalities.
In her statement, Kawala said detectives at Kira Road Police Division were actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths and would provide further information as more actionable details became available.
She stressed that the investigation was still ongoing and that postmortem findings would be important in establishing what happened.
The police position is particularly important given the uncertainty surrounding the suspected source of poisoning and the fact that the children reportedly died in different locations.
Three pupils died at their respective homes, while Nabeta died at Kasangati Hospital. The different locations of death mean investigators will have to reconstruct the events and establish whether the children experienced similar symptoms after consuming the same substance.
Police have also extended condolences to the bereaved families, relatives and the school community as they grapple with the loss of the four children.
Parents demand answers
The tragedy has left parents and residents in shock, with many gathering outside the school as forensic officers conducted their investigations.
The presence of police officers and forensic specialists at the institution heightened anxiety among parents who were seeking information about the safety of their children and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
According to Ssebaggala, police had restricted parents from taking their children away from the school as detectives sought to obtain information from learners who could have witnessed what happened or consumed the suspected fruit.
The school had reportedly released some learners to enable Primary Seven candidates to concentrate on their Primary Leaving Examinations.
It was during this period that one of the pupils is alleged to have returned with oranges and shared them with other children.
The possibility that a seemingly ordinary fruit could have been contaminated has raised concerns about food safety and the vulnerability of young learners to potentially dangerous substances.
For parents, however, the immediate concern is understanding how four children could lose their lives within such a short period and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
The investigation now has several critical questions to answer: whether the oranges were contaminated, who could have been responsible if poisoning is confirmed, how many children consumed the fruit and whether the school administration responded appropriately when pupils became ill.
Until the forensic and postmortem examinations are completed, police have not established the definitive cause of death or identified the source of any suspected poison.
The arrest of Ssuuna, the recovery of the orange peels and the anticipated medical examinations represent important stages in the inquiry.
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