I only received flowers from Umeme - accident survivor

Apr 21, 2017

At some moments, the mother of four wears a smile, but later breaks down and sobs as she narrates to visitors her experience.

PIC: Transformer accident survivor Rose Muyinza breaks down as her aunt Frankline Nsubuga consoles her at her home in Lutete. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

KAMPALA - A 43-year-old teacher who recently narrowly survived being killed by a freak felled electric transformer in Kampala, is seeking assistance from Umeme to get specialized treatment abroad.

Rose Muyinza Ssebaggala was badly injured when two poles supporting the transformer fell on her car, a Voxy UAT 591S, as she drove along Dewinton Road on April 11.

She was later rescued by Good Samaritans who worked with the police and transfered her to Mulago Hospital in critical condition.

Speaking from her home in Lutete along Gayaza road after discharge, Muyinza, a teacher at Kabojja International School, said she was still looking forward to getting specialized treatment preferably at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

"I have just been to hospital for review. I'm improving but I still get severe pain all over my body and difficulty in breathing. I also occasionally get abnormal bleeding, which worries me."

Muyinza said she has pain in her legs and chest where the transformer pressed her and gets constant fever especially at night.

She sustained injuries around her head, shoulders, back and legs. Doctors have advised her to get a spirometer, a breathing gadget which they recommended would help her normalize her breathing. She is unable to find it in Kampala.

At some moments, the mother of four wears a smile, but later breaks down and sobs as she narrates to visitors her experience.

"Every time I look at hanging electric cables I close my eyes, fearing that they might as well fall on me," she said as she heaped praises on the man who brought a crane that was used to lift the transformer from her before she was pulled out of the car, bleeding and vomiting.

She also feels psychological upsets since she is unable to work yet she had already got contracts to conduct dancing classes to students in different schools.

"I do train students in barley dance, rumba dance, Scottish, Indian and Salsa dances for my side income during summer holidays but I'm now incapacitated," she said as she wiped tears rolling down her cheeks.

The freak accident survivor however said she had not got any commitment from Umeme to help meet her medical expenses.

"Apart from the flowers they delivered in hospital, nobody from Umeme has checked on me yet I need their hand in order to get more treatment to recover."

Muyinza was hospitalized at Mulago in Kampala

Umeme official spokesperson, Stephen Ilungole however told New Vision that the company's top managers, including the managing director, were organizing to visit the woman at her home on Monday to assess her health condition.

"We want to see which type of support we can avail her to help her recover quickly and whether she can access specialized treatment," he said.

After the incident, Umeme issued a statement apologizing for what happened, and Ilungole said the company had instituted investigations to establish what caused the accident.

"We are sorry for what happened, that is why we want to see that she is assisted to get quick recovery."

He however said he could not commit himself on whether the company would be in position to compensate her for the car that was damaged, saying that would be the work of insurance companies.