Nabukeera’s parents: We can never reconcile
May 11, 2007
<b>AHMAD Matovu, 42, is the father of Aisha Nabukeera, the 14-year-old girl who was severely burnt allegedly by her stepmother, Saphina Ndagire, in February last year in Masaka district. Matovu had separated with his wife Sophie Nakandi, the mother of Nabukeera. A year after Nabukeera’s tragedy, N
AHMAD Matovu, 42, is the father of Aisha Nabukeera, the 14-year-old girl who was severely burnt allegedly by her stepmother, Saphina Ndagire, in February last year in Masaka district. Matovu had separated with his wife Sophie Nakandi, the mother of Nabukeera. A year after Nabukeera’s tragedy, Nakandi took Matovu to Mwanga II Road Court seeking legal custody of her daughter, which court granted. Chris Kiwawulo talked to Matovu and Nakandi after the ruling on April 24. Below are the excerpts:
Matovu’s story
Question: Ever since Nabukeera left Masaka in August 2006, you have never visited her. have you abandoned your daughter?
No. That woman has been hiding my daughter from me. I tried to get in touch with her, but she put me off.
But she claims you were not giving Nabukeera care and treatment
I am a farmer and I also sell kyakyu (animal feed). I earn a small income yet I treated my daughter for eight months. I would give my daughter between sh100,000 and sh200,000 almost every month for treatment, yet Nakandi took me to court in Masaka.
Did you make any attempts to seek help from Good Samaritans for your daughter?
Yes, I got in touch with some Arabs who promised to treat Nabukeera free of charge. But when I contacted Nakandi, she denied me access to her.
Was it before or after Frank Gashumba took over as Nabukeera’s guardian?
It was after.
Your wife claims she left you because you had many other women
I separated with that woman about six years ago. She was stolen from me by Abbas Junju, a butcher in Masaka town. They got married to hurt me, but I am not bothered. She has been married to three different men.
Is Gashumba among those men?
No. he is not. All the men were in Masaka although I do not know which man she is with now.
Are you not happy that Gashumba highlighted your daughter’s plight and that she has now got help from the public?
Of course I am grateful to Gashumba. I am happy that my child has got help, but I would also like to accompany my daughter for the operation abroad. I appeal to the public to help me fundraise for an air ticket so that I can also go with her.
But why do you say your daughter lied when she insists that she was forced to wear a cloth soaked in fuel, then set on fire!
Because it never happened! She was not forced to put on a dress that had been soaked in fuel.
Anyway, the case is still under investigation.
The investigations will prove who is right and wrong. Probably the people at the petrol station made a mistake and mixed the fuel, but Ndagire did not burn Nabukeera.
Given a chance, would you reconcile with Nakandi?
Never! Even if we were to sleep together on the same bed, I would not do anything with Nakandi now.
But she is beautiful, isn’t she?
That does not count. These days it is not a nice-looking body that determines someone’s health status. I can never get back to her. Never!
Nakandi's story
Why did you abandon your husband for other men?
That is not true. I think that man (Matovu) is mad. I left him about two years ago. I have nothing to do with him.
He says you denied him chance to see his daughter, why did you do so?
He was not taking care of my daughter. In fact, had it not been Mr. Gashumba, I do not know if Aisha would have got help. She would probably be dead by now!
But Matovu claims he treated Nabukeera for eight months
That is a lie. I was the one in hospital with Nabukeera. By the time Mr. Gashumba intervened, Nabukeera’s chest had started rotting, her ribs would be seen and she was emitting a nasty smell.
Now he says he is able to get help for Nabukeera, can you relinquish the girl to her?
That cannot happen. Can you imagine he was trying to sabotage Nabukeera’s future, a girl who was burnt like that!
Given chance, would you reconcile with Matovu?
I cannot.
Matovu’s story
Question: Ever since Nabukeera left Masaka in August 2006, you have never visited her. have you abandoned your daughter?
No. That woman has been hiding my daughter from me. I tried to get in touch with her, but she put me off.
But she claims you were not giving Nabukeera care and treatment
I am a farmer and I also sell kyakyu (animal feed). I earn a small income yet I treated my daughter for eight months. I would give my daughter between sh100,000 and sh200,000 almost every month for treatment, yet Nakandi took me to court in Masaka.
Did you make any attempts to seek help from Good Samaritans for your daughter?
Yes, I got in touch with some Arabs who promised to treat Nabukeera free of charge. But when I contacted Nakandi, she denied me access to her.
Was it before or after Frank Gashumba took over as Nabukeera’s guardian?
It was after.
Your wife claims she left you because you had many other women
I separated with that woman about six years ago. She was stolen from me by Abbas Junju, a butcher in Masaka town. They got married to hurt me, but I am not bothered. She has been married to three different men.
Is Gashumba among those men?
No. he is not. All the men were in Masaka although I do not know which man she is with now.
Are you not happy that Gashumba highlighted your daughter’s plight and that she has now got help from the public?
Of course I am grateful to Gashumba. I am happy that my child has got help, but I would also like to accompany my daughter for the operation abroad. I appeal to the public to help me fundraise for an air ticket so that I can also go with her.
But why do you say your daughter lied when she insists that she was forced to wear a cloth soaked in fuel, then set on fire!
Because it never happened! She was not forced to put on a dress that had been soaked in fuel.
Anyway, the case is still under investigation.
The investigations will prove who is right and wrong. Probably the people at the petrol station made a mistake and mixed the fuel, but Ndagire did not burn Nabukeera.
Given a chance, would you reconcile with Nakandi?
Never! Even if we were to sleep together on the same bed, I would not do anything with Nakandi now.
But she is beautiful, isn’t she?
That does not count. These days it is not a nice-looking body that determines someone’s health status. I can never get back to her. Never!
Nakandi's story
Why did you abandon your husband for other men?
That is not true. I think that man (Matovu) is mad. I left him about two years ago. I have nothing to do with him.
He says you denied him chance to see his daughter, why did you do so?
He was not taking care of my daughter. In fact, had it not been Mr. Gashumba, I do not know if Aisha would have got help. She would probably be dead by now!
But Matovu claims he treated Nabukeera for eight months
That is a lie. I was the one in hospital with Nabukeera. By the time Mr. Gashumba intervened, Nabukeera’s chest had started rotting, her ribs would be seen and she was emitting a nasty smell.
Now he says he is able to get help for Nabukeera, can you relinquish the girl to her?
That cannot happen. Can you imagine he was trying to sabotage Nabukeera’s future, a girl who was burnt like that!
Given chance, would you reconcile with Matovu?
I cannot.