Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Uganda Monitor
Published on 2024-04-18 16:18:40
In Kayunga District, police had to resort to firing live bullets in the air to disperse a mob that was seeking retribution against a 19-year-old woman accused of abandoning her newborn baby in a pit latrine in Ntooke village, Kayunga Town council. The suspect, identified as Milly Mutonyi, had an eight-month pregnancy last month and entered into a new relationship after the man who impregnated her denied responsibility.
Mutonyi chose to conceal her pregnancy from her new lover, fearing that he would not marry her if he found out about the baby on the way. The village LCI chairman, Mr. Fred Ssekatonya, shared that when inquiries were made about her pregnancy, she dismissed it as mere weight gain. Despite successfully keeping her pregnancy hidden, when Mutonyi’s new partner, Mr. Alex Ssenyonjo, rented a house for them in Ntooke village, suspicions began to rise.
Having dropped out of Kitimbwa Bright SS as a senior four candidate due to her pregnancy, Mutonyi resided with a friend in Busaale village, where she met Ssenyonjo. He was unaware of her pregnancy the entire time they were together, as she avoided intimate situations and claimed various health issues when approached for intimacy.
On the day of the incident, Ssenyonjo left for work in the morning, only to receive a call from a neighbor informing him that Mutonyi had given birth and thrown the baby into the latrine. Concerned villagers contacted the authorities, leading to the rescue of the newborn from the pit latrine. The mob, fueled by anger, sought to harm Mutonyi, prompting the intervention of the police who fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
Mutonyi confessed to journalists that fear of jeopardizing her new relationship drove her to the drastic act of abandoning her child. She expressed remorse for her actions, citing the desire to preserve her romance as the motive behind her decision. The police assured the public that investigations were ongoing and revealed plans to charge Mutonyi with attempted murder.
In light of this disturbing incident, Ms. Hellen Alikoba, the Kayunga police officer overseeing family and child protection, urged women facing similar challenges to seek guidance from authorities and professional counselors to prevent such tragedies in the future. The rescued baby boy was taken to Kayunga regional referral hospital for medical care, while Mutonyi was detained at Kayunga police station amidst heightened security measures. The community’s reaction serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding unplanned pregnancies and the need for education and support to prevent such tragedies from occurring.
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