Widow loses hand in family attack

By Charles Kakamwa

A widow and mother of nine, Kekulina Nabirye, ponders her next move with uncertainty.

“I have been able to feed my family because I used to cultivate my garden. Now that I have only one hand, how will I survive?” she wonders.

Forty-eight-year-old Nabirye and her teenage daughter are nursing injuries sustained in an attack on her family, suspected to have been executed by her son-in-law.

Nabirye was recently attacked by a panga-wielding man at her home in Isegero village in Bugiri district. The assailant, who struck at night, left Nabirye and Fiona Namuganza her 13-year-old daughter, fighting for their lives.

Nabirye lost her left arm while Namuganza sustained deep cuts on her right arm, at the back of her neck, head and waist.

The Bugiri Hospital medical superintendent, Dr. Abanga Oundo, on Monday said Nabirye was treated and discharged, while Namuganza was referred to Mulago Hospital.

“Namuganza was losing her sight as a result of the deep cuts,” Oundo said

Nabirye said she suspected they were attacked by her son-in-law Francis Owor, who had marital problems with his wife.

The Bugiri district Police commander, Daniel Musisi, says Owor, who works in Juba, dragged his wife Regina Namuganza to Nankoma Police post in January, accusing her of misusing money he had sent the family.

Owor also suspected that his wife had a child with another man while he was away in Juba. Regina was arrested after Owor’s complaint to the Police.

“We were attacked the day I got my daughter out of the Police cells and went with her to my home,” said Nabirye.

She revealed that at the time of the attack, Regina was out of the house.

Musisi said Owor was arrested and later released on Police bond.

Rampant violence

The Uganda Health Demographic Survey 2011 ranks Busoga with the highest cases of gender-based violence (GBV) at 74%. Bugiri is one of the districts with the highest figures of violence in the region.

Oundo said domestic violence is high in the area, adding that many cases are registered at the facility.

The officer in charge of the child and family protection department at Bugiri Police Station George Osiet, says in 2013, 140 cases of domestic violence were recorded at the Police station 70 of which were taken to court. In January at least 10 cases were reported to the Police.

Interventions

Under the guidance of the Inter Religious Council of Uganda, stakeholders in Busoga have formed a gender-based violence prevention forum aimed at combating the vice.

The 80-member forum, headed by Busoga regional Khadi, Sheikh Sinani Muwanika, with representatives from various religious denominations in all Busoga districts, will collaborate with district GBV networks in community sensitisation.