Mbarara, Uganda
A wave of sadness has swept through Ntare School and the family of 19-year-old Elvis Magambo, a Senior Five student whose body was discovered in River Rwizi on Thursday evening, July 10, 2025.
Elvis had been suspended from the school just days before his death. His passing has shocked many, especially as questions now surround the circumstances that led to his tragic end.
Mr. Wilson Ndezi, the Deputy Head Teacher, confirmed that Elvis was a student pursuing Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
“He completed first term without issues. But during the second term, on Saturday, June 28, he was caught trying to sneak back into the school after escaping earlier. He jumped over the perimeter wall around 8 p.m.,” Mr. Ndezi explained.
The school responded by suspending him for breaking the rules.
“We were waiting for the board of governors to decide on the next steps. Sadly, we received the news of his death before that could happen,” Mr. Ndezi added.
At the funeral held at Makenke Church of Uganda, Elvis’s parents expressed their heartbreak. His father, Dr. Emmanuel Magambo, said he believed the school environment had negatively influenced his son.
“Elvis was a calm, respectful boy. Things changed after he joined Ntare. We are deeply pained by his loss,” he said.
Dr. Magambo also raised concerns about his son’s death, noting visible injuries.
“There were stab wounds on his arm and other parts. We suspect he was killed and thrown into the river,” he told mourners.
His mother, Ms. Christine Magambo, emotionally recalled her last conversation with her son.
“I had just spoken to him that morning. He promised to change and even said he wanted to give his life to Christ. When I returned from praying, he was gone. Hours later, we heard the worst news,” she said.
Police have launched an investigation into the matter. Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson, Mr. Samson Kasasira, confirmed that a decomposing male body was found in River Rwizi.
“Residents alerted us. We retrieved the body and took it to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for a postmortem. While we suspect drowning, investigations are ongoing,” he stated. He did not officially confirm the identity of the body as that of Elvis Magambo.
This incident has added to growing concerns over student welfare in Ugandan schools. Just a few months earlier, in April 2025, a student from Solberg College in Kabale, Nakita Kiconco, was found dead in a suspected suicide, sparking nationwide conversations about student mental health and school environments.
