Tragic domestic dispute ends in suicide and near-fatal attack in Mayuge

Shock and grief have gripped the residents of Nabitu Village, Buwaya Sub-county in Mayuge District, following a horrific domestic dispute that left a 48-year-old man dead and his wife battling for her life.

Simon Kibuka, reportedly took his own life by stabbing himself after carrying out a brutal machete attack on his second wife, Kagoya, whom he mistakenly believed he had killed.

According to local authorities, the violent confrontation erupted after Kibuka’s divorced first wife returned to the home with a child. Kagoya strongly resisted welcoming the child into the household, triggering a fierce argument between the couple.

As the dispute escalated, Kibuka allegedly attacked Kagoya with a machete, inflicting deep, severe cuts to her head. Believing she was dead, Kibuka fled the scene.

Buwaya LC3 Chairperson, Mr Hussein Kamali, stated that neighbors rushed to the scene upon hearing the commotion. They found Kagoya unconscious and immediately transported her to Mayuge Health Centre IV, locking the couple's house before leaving.

Sneaking Back to the Scene

The tragedy took a darker turn later that night. Mr Kamali explained that Kibuka secretly returned to the homestead under the cover of darkness. He broke a window to enter the locked house, where he used a knife to mutilate himself before delivering a fatal stab wound to his own neck.

The following morning, residents noticed the shattered window. Upon peering inside, they discovered Kibuka lying in a pool of blood. Although he was still breathing when locals broke the door down, he succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to Mayuge Health Centre IV.

“This man intended to kill his wife but instead met his own death after stabbing himself,” Mr. Kamali said, adding that Kagoya is currently stable and responding to treatment.

The incident has sparked serious concern among local leaders regarding the sharp increase in domestic violence within the sub-county.

Mr Ivan Magumba, the Buwaya Sub-county NRM Chairperson, condemned the act and expressed deep worry over the community's inability to manage conflict constructively.

“People should learn to control their anger when they have disagreements because Kibuka died out of uncontrolled anger,” Mr. Magumba said. He noted that while Kagoya had openly opposed the first wife’s return, the family failed to involve local authorities.

Mr. Magumba urged residents to utilize local leadership and mediation structures to resolve marital grievances rather than resorting to lawlessness and bloodshed.

Local leaders note that this tragedy is not an isolated event, but rather part of a disturbing upward trend of domestic and gender-based violence (GBV) within the region.

While specific sub-county statistics are heavily underreported, national data highlights the scale of the crisis. According to the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report, domestic violence remains one of the leading categories of crime nationwide, with over 17,000 cases reported annually.

Furthermore, data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicates that roughly 45 per cent of ever-married women in Uganda have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner.