Tragedy has once again struck Seeta High School’s Mbalala campus after a Senior Six student drowned in the institution’s swimming pool under unclear circumstances, raising renewed concerns about safety at the school, which has faced multiple fatalities in recent months.
The deceased, identified as Kevin Nsamba, 21, reportedly drowned on Sunday evening, August 3, 2025, around 5:30 PM.
According to Police, the incident occurred shortly after he had been playing football with fellow students.
Witnesses say he entered the deep end of the swimming pool during a supervised session.
Later that evening, after a movie session, Nsamba was reported missing.
A search by students and dormitory staff failed to locate him. The following day, at midday, the school principal notified Police, who discovered Nsamba’s body in the pool.
Mukono Police, along with regional CID detectives, fire and rescue services, forensic ICT teams, and scene-of-crime officers, are investigating.
The school’s lifeguard has been arrested, and CCTV footage is being reviewed to establish exactly what happened.
Nsamba’s body was transferred to Mulago City Mortuary for a postmortem examination.
Police have not ruled out negligence and are probing whether safety protocols such as continuous lifeguard monitoring and rapid emergency response were followed. Questions have also been raised about the delay in notifying authorities, given that the drowning occurred the previous day.
This incident comes just months after two other tragic deaths involving Seeta High School.
On February 21, 2025, Elishammah Ssesazi, a 16-year-old Senior Three student, was found hanging in a dormitory in what Police described as a suspected suicide.
That case sparked Parliamentary debate, with Speaker Anita Among calling for the Ministry of Education to investigate all school-based deaths and enforce safety standards.
Barely a month later, on March 22, 2025, Ivan Oloya, a 30-year-old teacher at the same Mbalala campus, was attacked and killed while walking home.
Five suspects were arrested in connection with his murder, but his family has since expressed frustration at the slow pace of justice.
The latest drowning also follows a series of school-related drowning incidents across the country, which prompted the government to launch Uganda’s first National Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Policy on July 25, 2025.
The policy mandates mandatory safety training in schools, certified lifeguards, and regular pool inspections, but critics warn that enforcement remains inconsistent.
Community members and education stakeholders are now demanding answers from Seeta High School, calling for a full review of its safety procedures and emergency response capabilities.
Police say findings from the CCTV footage and postmortem report will guide further action, including possible criminal charges.
