Over 500 unidentified bodies buried in KCCA cemetery last year—report

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A total of 509 unidentified bodies were buried at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) cemetery in Bukasa last year, a Police report has revealed. The Police Health Services Performance Report 2025 indicates that of the 723 bodies recovered without identification, only 214 of them were later identified and claimed by relatives. This left the 509 bodies unclaimed. 

They were buried at Bukasa Public Cemetery in Kira municipality, Wakiso district. The report paints a grim picture of the rising unexplained deaths linked to violent crime, mob justice, hit-and-run road crashes and other unresolved causes. According to the report, Police forensic experts subjected the bodies to extensive scientific analysis, including DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) profiling, toxicology screening, ballistic examinations, fingerprinting and 3D forensic photography in an effort to identify victims and preserve medico-legal evidence.

The bulk of this work was carried out at the city mortuary in Mulago, which is the largest forensic pathology centre, jointly managed by the Police and KCCA. In 2025, the mortuary conducted 4,632 post-mortem examinations and 10 exhumations, with detailed medico-legal reports prepared and transmitted to police stations across the country to support investigations and prosecutions.

Nationwide, Police surgeons performed 1,228 post-mortem examinations and seven exhumations, highlighting the growing demand for forensic services in both urban and rural areas. In 2024 alone, 250 unclaimed bodies were buried at Bukasa cemetery. Many, the Police said, were murder victims, fatalities of mob justice or victims of hit-and-run crashes, reflecting persistent challenges in crime prevention, road safety and community justice.

Gender-based violence 

Beyond forensic services, the report exposes the scale of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in communities served by police health facilities. Last year, police health units handled 4,203 SGBV cases, involving 3,942 women and girls and 261 men and boys. In addition, 12,932 physical assault cases were recorded, affecting 9,384 males and 5,548 females. 

The Police are yet to release the general annual crime report for 2025. According to the report, police health officials said these services are critical in documenting injuries, collecting forensic evidence and producing medical reports that strengthen prosecutions while safeguarding the rights of victims and suspects through impartial assessments. 

Data-driven reform 

Assistant Inspector General of Police Dr Moses Byaruhanga, the director of Police Health Services, said the report is anchored on key performance indicators drawn from multiple data sources, including routine reports from police health facilities under the Health Management Information System, administrative records and programme-specific reports. 

He added that the output indicators were generated mainly through digital platforms, such as the District Health Information System and Open Data Kit. Coverage estimates were computed using the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2025 mid-year population projection of 51.3 million to ensure accuracy in measuring service coverage and performance. 

Byaruhanga said Police Health Services registered notable progress across preventive, curative, promotive and medico-legal services despite operating in a difficult environment marked by resource constraints, rising patient numbers and emerging health demands. He acknowledged that significant challenges remain, including staffing gaps, weak infrastructure, shortages of medical supplies, limited diagnostic equipment, inadequate emergency transport and funding constraints.