A Senior Four student in Kasese was found dead in his room over the weekend, with police confirming that he took his own life. The 18-year-old, identified as Emma Maate, reportedly left a note explaining his actions were driven by guilt over impregnating a Senior One student.
Maate, who was preparing to sit for his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams, had attended a briefing for candidates the day before his death. He was a student at Karambi Secondary School in Karambi Sub-county.
According to police reports, Maate had been dealing with the fallout from the pregnancy, which had led his family to pay nearly Shs3 million in an effort to resolve the situation. On the morning of his death, Maate had breakfast and then returned to his room, where he wrote a note and hanged himself.
The Deputy Head Teacher of Karambi Secondary School, Samson Kule, revealed that Maate had been suspended earlier in the term due to the pregnancy, though he was allowed to attend the exam briefing.
Local leaders, including Karambi Sub-county chairperson Paddy Muhindo, urged parents to maintain open communication with their children to help prevent such tragedies.
Maate’s body was discovered on October 12, a day after attending the school’s exam briefing.