Police in Mityana District are investigating the death of a 23-year-old woman who reportedly locked herself inside a house and set it on fire following a disagreement with her husband.
The deceased has been identified as Nakagulire Irene, a resident of Kasiba Village, Kiwawu Parish, Malangala Sub-county in Mityana District. The incident happened on September 10, 2026, at around 10:30am.
According to police, Nakagulire had a disagreement with her husband, Zirigwa Henry, whom she accused of planning to reunite with his former wife. The disagreement reportedly developed into a quarrel, forcing the husband to leave the home.
After her husband left, Nakagulire reportedly hired a boda boda rider to take their four-year-old daughter to her family home in Muduuma, Mpigi District. She then returned to the house, locked herself inside and set it on fire.
Neighbours noticed the fire after it had already spread throughout the house. They attempted to rescue the woman but could not gain entry because she had locked the door from inside. Residents also tried to break through the wall to reach her, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
By the time the fire was brought under control, Nakagulire had died and her body had been severely burnt, making identification difficult. Residents informed their local chairman, Ssekasi Baker, who reported the incident to Kiwawu Police Station.
Police at Kiwawu called for technical support from Mityana District Police Headquarters. A homicide team was dispatched to the scene, where officers documented and profiled the area before recording statements from witnesses.
The deceased’s body was later taken to the Mityana General Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination. Police said inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death are still ongoing.
According to Nanyonjo Margret, the deceased’s mother-in-law, her son had earlier called her complaining about problems in the relationship. She said he told her that he was uncomfortable with his wife’s smoking and drinking habits. Shortly afterwards, Nakagulire also called her, saying that her husband was chasing her away and intended to bring back his former wife. Her phone later went off. Police have appealed to couples and people living together to find peaceful ways of resolving disagreements and to seek help from trusted family members, community leaders or authorities when conflicts become difficult to manage.
