Residents in the quiet neighbourhood of Lweza village, Mukono Central Division, have been left shaken after a young woman, recently returned from working abroad, reportedly attempted to take her own life.
The woman, whose identity has been withheld for privacy reasons, had just returned from the Middle East, one of the many Ugandan youths seeking employment opportunities overseas in the hopes of building a better future.
But her homecoming has turned into a nightmare. According to residents, she had been living with a friend named Mercy after returning from abroad. But when Mercy also left the country, she was left behind, isolated in a modest single-room rental.
Moments later, a loud thud echoed through the compound. Neighbours rushed out only to find the woman lying on the ground, bleeding and unconscious.
“She went out to fetch water, and shortly after, we heard her fall. When we rushed to check, we found her bleeding. We immediately called the police,” a concerned neighbour recalled.
Inside the house, police discovered signs of a suicide attempt. She had reportedly swallowed an overdose of capsules and cut her veins. The woman was rushed to Mukono General Hospital by officers from Wantoni and Mukono Central police station. She remains under medical care as investigations continue.
Local journalist Samuel Kabenge, who visited the scene, confirmed that police were attempting to trace the woman’s relatives. Preliminary investigations point to a possible betrayal.
Sources suggest that during her time abroad, the woman diligently sent home savings with the dream of starting a business upon her return. But instead of being safeguarded, the money was allegedly misappropriated by family members.
“This is not an isolated case. We’ve had other youth returning from the Middle East only to find that their hard-earned money has been squandered. We urge parents and guardians to be honest and responsible with remittances,” said Mukono Central Division deputy chairman Zaid Sali.
Sali called on the ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development to take a more proactive role in reintegrating returnees and safeguarding their welfare. He advocated for psychosocial support and counselling structures to help returning migrant workers deal with trauma and transition challenges.
