It is a harsh world for Aisha Nabukeera

Mar 25, 2007

WHEN Aisha Nabukeera’s body went up in flames almost a year ago, little did she know she would become a ray of hope for abused children. Nabukeera, then, was just any other 14-year-old village girl, in school struggling to have a bright future. Nabukeera’s infamy was very painful.

By Joshua Kato

WHEN Aisha Nabukeera’s body went up in flames almost a year ago, little did she know she would become a ray of hope for abused children. Nabukeera, then, was just any other 14-year-old village girl, in school struggling to have a bright future. Nabukeera’s infamy was very painful.

Nothing can replace her natural body. This is evident in what she says of her parents. “My parents’ hatred should not have been a price for me to pay,” she says.

Although her body is burnt, her face surprisingly defied the infamy. With culled hair and braids, Nabukeera looks beautiful. Her beautiful face is sometimes contorted in pain.

“She spent days crying in pain,” says her mother Sophia Nakandi. Now there is hope. Not only for Nabukeera, but also for other abused children. “Just a smile today restores my hope for the future,” Nabukeera writes in her section on her website. Smiles are coming in fast and in different categories.

Smiles that offer hope not only to Nabukeera, but also to other children in her situation.

“There are so many Aishas in this country. Aisha Nabukeera must become their symbol,” the Nabagereka, Sylvia Nagginda said, during the opening of Nabukeera’s website recently. Nabukeera was allegedly burnt by her stepmother Ndagire in February 2006.

Police recently launched fresh investigations into the case. Nabukeera’s case would not have been in the lime light had it not been for the intervention of businessman Frank Gashumba.

Gashumba met Nabukeera at the Masaka Magistrates Court, where his father had an ongoing land wrangle case. “When I heard her story, I was touched and I decided to help her get both treatment and justice,” Gashumba says.

But before deciding to help, he sought the authority of magistrate Mugerwa who was handling the case. Mugerwa gave him the go-ahead as long as Nabukeera’s parents also accepted. “I met Ahmed Matovu, Nabukeera’s father and asked him about the girl.

He told me that Nabukeera was burnt by a charcoal stove. He nevertheless agreed that I could look after her,” Gashumba says.

In a turn of events, however, Matovu, opened up a case of kidnap against Gashumba. “I have not seen my child for many months. I want her back home in 12 days,” Matovu said in January.

After Nabukeera failed to get immediate attention at Mulago Hospital, Gashumba contacted a doctor friend who advised him to try Katalemwa Children’s Home, where Nabukeera has been for treatment.

Nabukeera has under gone four operations ever since she was picked in August last year, largely to loosen the flesh around her left and right arm pits. The operations have been carried out at Mengo Hospital by Dr Andrew Hodges.

However, she is due to go for a final operation in Netherlands that will give her a normal skin once again. “We have already got contacts from reputable hospitals in Europe and the US that are willing to carry out the operation,” Gashumba says.

At the moment, a big number of Ugandans, who have access to the media, know who Nabukeera is. She has become the symbol of abused children, just like Ssebanga, an abused child who was saved from starvation in 2001.

“We have a music performance at Theater La Bonita on April 5. It is largely the brain of Juliana Kanyomozi, Jose Chameleone, Mesach Ssemakula, Blu*3 and other musicians,” Gashumba says. The Muslims under the Tabliq sect at Nakasero Mosque collected over sh500,000.

“We have so far collected over sh12m from well wishers. There is more money promised and more is coming in,” Gashumba says.

For now, there is no doubt that Nabukeera, once rotting away in Masaka in mid-western Uganda is set to live. “We are hopeful Nabukeera will be operated on,” Gashumba says.

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