KABALE, Uganda – Police in the Kigezi region have launched an investigation into the disappearance of a 15-year-old student, an incident that occurred in the early hours of October 21, 2025. The case has left fellow students and the school administration in panic.
According to classmates, Joel Niwarinda, a Senior Two student at Nyabikoni Secondary School in Kabale Municipality, had no history of indiscipline or criminal behavior and was regarded as one of the school’s most well-behaved learners.
His mother, Caroline Abaasa, a hospital administrator at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, said the family has searched tirelessly in several areas, including Nyabikoni, Kigongi Ward, Rwakaraba, and surrounding neighborhoods, but have not found any trace of her son.
Although the Nyabikoni Secondary School administration has not yet released an official statement regarding Niwarinda’s disappearance, the case was reported to Kabale Central Police Station under reference number 41/23/10/2025.
The mysterious disappearance has raised serious concerns about student safety at the school. Detectives in Kabale have since intensified investigations to determine the circumstances under which the boy went missing.
As of now, Niwarinda’s whereabouts remain unknown, and his parents are appealing to the public to assist in the search.
Halson Kagure, the Public Relations Officer at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, expressed concern over the disappearance, saying the hospital community is deeply distressed by the incident. He urged the public and hospital staff to continue sharing information that may help locate the missing student.
