Ugandans were not impressed when Ms Daniella Atim, the estranged wife of renowned local artiste Joseph Mayanja aka Chameleone, filed to dissolve their nine-year marriage, citing assault that begun in 2013 as the major reason.
Now they awill angry to learn that as the famine crisis engulfs more areas in Uganda, a hungry man has battered and killed his heavily pregnant wife after she refused to give him more food. He has since gone into hiding, prompting a police hunt.
Ronald Kakooza, a known polygamist, shocked neighbours when battered his wife Grace Nabulya 30, with a beer bottle. She died of the injuries after the incident at their home around 10pm on Thursday night and the body was later found by the neighbours.
Eyewitnesses say that the fight started when Nabulya ignored her husband’s demand for an extra portion of cassava which enraged him. He then rained punches onto her and threw her against the wall.
Neighbours allege that they heard Nabulya wail in Luganda; “Ronald anzita” literally meaning, “Ronald is killing me”, but unfortunately reached the scene after she had breathed her last.
The neighbours found an empty bloodied bottle of ‘Eagle Lager’ which they believe the man used to hit Nabulya, next to her lifeless body, her head bearing a deep cut.
Violence is a fact of life for the women of Uganda
A study conducted by ActionAid found that up to 70% of Ugandan women over 15 years of age had experienced physical or sexual violence. This report also found that in 2013 up to 360 deaths were due to domestic violence and out of the 1,042 rape cases reported, only 365 suspects were arrested. Because there is little support available for survivors of violence, they often feel trapped and alone.
According to Police reports as well, domestic violence still remains one of the least reported cases and thus has far-reaching consequences on victims many of whom remain silent.
The recent crime report released by Uganda Police, for instance, reveals that last year, 163 women met their deaths from domestic violence–up from the recorded 109 in 2010.
