A 43-year-old Kenyan national, Dorris Wamwoyo, also known as Dorothy Namayo, appeared before the Makindye Chief Magistrate's Court in Kampala on November 13, 2026. She faces eight serious criminal charges, including two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, arson, malicious damage to property, and attempted suicide. The charges stem from a violent incident at her matrimonial home in Kalungu-Godoz Village, Ggaba Parish, Makindye Division, on August 20, 2026.
According to police accounts, Wamwoyo's husband, a Malian national named Idris Traore, had taken a second wife in the Namasuba area, leading to marital disputes. Neighbours and the family's housemaid reported frequent quarrels beginning around May 2026, with the husband reportedly wanting sons after the couple had five daughters. The disputes also involved practical matters such as the children's schooling and household finances.
On the day of the incident, there had been an earlier disagreement that a family friend helped to calm before the husband left the house. Wamwoyo left the home later under the pretext of an errand before the events of the early morning. The housemaid discovered several children with severe stab wounds, including 14-year-old Khadija Daisy Traore and seven-year-old Hawa Dalena or Danita Mariam Traore, who later died while receiving treatment at Nsambya Hospital.
Three other children, aged approximately 13, eight, and five, survived the attack and were rushed to hospital. Wamwoyo was found injured and was initially admitted under police guard at Mulago National Referral Hospital before later being transferred to Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital for assessment. Police registered cases of murder, attempted murder, and arson at Kabalagala Police Division.
The suspect's defence has not yet been formally entered in open court on the most serious counts. Magistrate Aidah Nanjala declined to take a plea on the murder counts, noting that her court lacked jurisdiction over capital offences and that only the High Court could hear them. Wamwoyo was ordered remanded to Luzira Prison until December 15, 2026, for further mention of the case while investigations continue.
The case has drawn significant public attention in Uganda, with family photographs of the couple and their five daughters circulating widely on social media and in news reports. The images show a posed group portrait of the man, woman, and children in what appears to be a domestic setting. Reports note that the surviving children have been under the care of their father at another residence while the original home remains a crime scene.
The tragedy has highlighted broader issues around domestic conflict, support services for women and children in mixed-nationality households, and the capacity of mental health institutions such as Butabika to assess accused persons in serious cases. The remand of Dorris Wamwoyo until mid-December provides a defined next step in the process, after which the High Court is expected to assume jurisdiction over the murder charges.
Key points
- The suspect, Dorris Wamwoyo, faces two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
- The incident occurred on August 20, 2026, at the family home in Kalungu-Godoz Village, Ggaba Parish, Makindye Division.
- The case has sparked discussions on domestic violence, mental health assessments in capital cases, and challenges faced by families in cross-border marriages involving foreign nationals residing in Kampala suburbs.
