KAMPALA| Nankoma Margret Namukose, a 63-year-old mother of six, is currently hospitalized at Kumi Orthopedic Centre in Uganda, suffering from multiple fractures and injuries. She recounts a harrowing incident on November 21, 2021, when she was deliberately hit by a vehicle at her home. Since the accident, she has been transferred between hospitals without full recovery. The attack is believed to be a direct message to her son, Samuel Kiige, due to his political activities.
Margaret in Hospital
Samuel, a fervent supporter of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party, has been missing since April 2021. Nankoma recalls the terrifying moment of the incident, indicating that the attackers aimed to intimidate her son through this violent act. Despite her efforts, Nankoma has been unable to locate her son, having searched police stations, military barracks, prisons, hospitals, and morgues to no avail.
Samuel was drawn to the NUP, led by Robert Kyagulanyi (also known as Bobi Wine), seeking political change and a better future for Uganda. Nankoma defends her son’s peaceful and law-abiding nature, emphasizing his desire for democratic progress in their country.
The backdrop of this personal tragedy is the broader context of police brutality and human rights abuses that have tainted Uganda’s 2021 general elections. Security forces are accused of employing excessive force to quell dissent, resulting in the deaths, injuries, and disappearances of numerous opposition supporters. While the government denies these allegations, claiming lawful action to maintain order, human rights organizations have condemned these practices as attempts to suppress opposition and secure President Yoweri Museveni’s continued rule.
Nankoma’s story is a poignant illustration of the human cost of political conflict in Uganda. She seeks not only the truth about her son’s fate and justice for herself but also calls for an end to the violence and a respect for human rights in the country. Her demands are clear: accountability for the police involved in her injury. She envisions a Uganda where peace and freedom are not just ideals but realities for all its citizens.
