The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | URN | Dorothy Namayo, a 43-year-old Kenyan national, has told police she planned to kill all her children and then take her own life because of prolonged domestic conflicts with her husband.
The suspect, who remains under medical treatment, informed detectives that the constant wrangles in her marriage had become unbearable.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Rachel Kawala confirmed that investigations are still underway to verify Namayo’s statement and establish the full sequence of events.
“That is so far what we have explaining why she did what she did in the three incidents; stabbing the children, attempted suicide and arso,” Kawala said. “We are yet to determine which happened first.”
Both the surviving children and the suspect are receiving treatment at Mulago Hospital.Kawala added that the children’s father has not yet recorded his statement.
She appealed to the public to use Police Child and Family Protection offices for guidance, to report cases for investigation, or to seek counselling. Where necessary, cases can be referred to court.
According to the family’s housemaid and neighbours, the violence was allegedly triggered by the husband, Ederisa Troe, a Malian national, taking a second wife in Namasuba along Entebbe Road.
Housemaid Maria Saana, who had lived with the family for three years, said the couple lived peacefully during her first years, but problems began in May 2026, when frequent quarrels erupted and the husband rarely spent nights at the Bunga home.
On the day of the incident, another fight broke out. The eldest child now deceased called a family friend, who intervened and restored calm.
The husband left the house and Namayo went out, saying she was going shopping, and police think she used the opportunity to buy knives, new padlocks, and fuel later used to set a vehicle on fire.
A family member, Abubakary Boubou Makena, who is the elder brother to the bereaved father, on Friday told URN that a lot has been said, but the family would later make a comment on the tragedy, as they still mourn the life of their innocent children.
Police statistics show that domestic violence remains a serious concern. Disputes over family property, failure to provide for the family, drug and alcohol abuse, and infidelity are the leading causes.
In the 2025 annual crime report, 208 murders linked to domestic violence were recorded by police, up from 183 in 2024 a 13.7% increase. The same number of people, 208, were listed as victims of aggravated domestic violence.
