Ggaba, Kampala – A horrific attack unfolded Thursday at a daycare center in the upscale Kampala suburb of Ggaba, leaving four young children dead after a man posing as a parent forced his way inside and stabbed them with a knife, police have confirmed.
The suspect, identified as Christopher Okello Onyu, 34, gained entry to the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Program School under unclear circumstances before launching the brutal assault, according to law enforcement and eyewitness accounts. The motive behind the killings remains unknown, and police say investigations are ongoing.
How the Attack Unfolded
Eyewitnesses told local media that Okello first disguised himself as a parent arriving to pick up a child. He calmly walked into the school’s administrative office and briefly spoke with the person in charge. Shortly after, he stepped outside, locked the main gate of the facility, and began attacking toddlers one after another with a knife.
Teachers inside the school quickly raised an alarm upon realizing what was happening. By then, four children had already been fatally wounded. The suspect attempted to flee but was intercepted and subdued by a security guard from the nearby Ggaba Community Church.
Police Response and Mob Intervention
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala confirmed the tragedy in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“We confirm a tragic incident at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Program School, in Makindye Division, Kampala City, where a male suspect brutally stabbed and killed four juveniles. The suspect has been apprehended, and the motive behind the killings is still under investigation,” Kawala said.
Shortly after the suspect was caught, a furious crowd of residents gathered at the scene, attempting to lynch him. Security personnel—including both police and army officers—were forced to fire warning shots into the air to disperse the mob. Police then rescued the suspect and bundled him onto a police pickup truck.
Community in Shock
The area chairperson, Ben Kakooza, strongly condemned the attack and called for swift and transparent investigations.
“This is a deeply disturbing act of violence against innocent and defenseless children. We demand justice,” Kakooza said.
By late afternoon, distraught parents had begun arriving at the daycare center, many in tears, anxiously seeking information about the fate of their children. The school remained cordoned off by security tape as forensic teams combed the scene.
Top Police Official Appeals for Calm
The Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, rushed to the scene shortly after receiving reports of the attack. Addressing journalists amid heightened tension, he appealed for calm and urged the public to allow investigators to do their work.
“We call upon anyone with information about the suspect to give it to police to aid in investigations,” Byakagaba said. He assured residents that all efforts would be made to uncover the motive behind the killings and ensure that justice is served.
Investigation Underway
As of press time, the suspect remains in police custody. Authorities have not disclosed whether Okello had any prior connection to the daycare center or the children. Investigators are looking into his background, mental state, and possible motives.
The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through Ggaba and the wider Kampala community, reigniting concerns about security at early childhood education centers across the city.
