Written By | Our Reporter
Kkimuli Jjumba
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KAMPALA
A grieving mother from Nansana Municipality is in deep shock after a thief stole a suitcase containing the body of her five-month-old daughter while she was transporting it home for burial.
Kimuli Jjumba, 40, a resident of Ngalonnyambe Cell in Gombe Division, had just been discharged from Mulago National Referral Hospital following the death of her baby, Paulina Namigade.
Speaking to journalists, Jjumba explained that she lacked money for proper transport or funeral arrangements. In her desperation, she bought a suitcase, placed the infant’s body inside, and boarded a commuter taxi heading towards her village.
The heartbreaking incident occurred when the taxi reached Matugga. Jjumba briefly alighted from the vehicle to load airtime onto her phone. Upon returning, she found that the taxi had already departed with her suitcase still inside. “I tried to chase after it but couldn’t catch it,” she recounted in distress.
The vehicle was identified as a Toyota Hiace with registration number UBL 104 Z.
Jjumba suspects that one of the passengers seated next to her may have stolen the bag, believing it contained valuables. The mother is now appealing for help from the public and authorities to recover her child’s body so she can give her a dignified burial.
Police have been informed of the incident, and investigations are underway to trace the taxi and recover the suitcase.
This tragic case has sparked sympathy and outrage among many Ugandans, highlighting the extreme hardships faced by bereaved families, especially those struggling with poverty and the high costs associated with hospital discharges and funerals.
Anyone with information about the taxi or the missing suitcase is urged to contact the nearest police station or the traffic police unit.
Torch Media Africa
