Politicians, family march to parliament with body of toddler killed at city hall

A police officer forcing himself into an ambulance carrying the body of a two year old toddler Allan Ssemaganda who was knocked dead by a KCCA vehicle on Tuesday. RPC of Kampala James Ruhweza ordered the body to be taken back to the parents’ home in Masajja for burial. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA

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Addressing the media yesterday, the Head of European delegation to Uganda, Ambassador Kristian Schmidt said although Uganda has various legislations meant to protect the rights of children, effective implementation is yet to be achieved

Politicians led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and the family of the toddler who was run over by a car at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) have taken the body to parliament for the house to have a say.
However, the group was blocked from accessing parliament by police led by the South Regional Police Commander James Ruhweza.
This comes just hours after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mike Chibita described as unfortunate the death of a toddler.
The parliamentary forum on children yesterday condemned the death of the toddler which it blamed on negligence.
The forum’s chairman Bernard Atiku together with Uganda Child Rights Network Executive Director Stella Ayo said the matter will be taken to floor of parliament today for debate.
The 2 -year old baby whose mother had been arrested by KCCA enforcement officers for hawking merchandise was run over by a vehicle in the Authority’s premises.
The mother of the child identified as Madina Namutebi, a resident of Masajja- a Kampala suburb had been arrested for street vending contrary to the law and was later taken to City Hall Court for prosecution.
Chibita said if the mother was denied the chance to nurse her baby, then that was wrong and inhumane.
Meanwhile, KCCA continues to negotiate with the baby’s family. Burial of the body is slated for this afternoon in Massajja, a suburb of Kampala.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director Jennifer Musisi yesterday apologized to the family of the toddler saying the accident was an unfortunate incident which she regrets.
Earlier a scuffle ensued between KCCA officials and relatives of the deceased.
KCCA officials had delivered food items to Namutebi’s home in Masajja where mourners had gathered.
However, the family rejected the money and items and instead returned them together with the dead body to City Hall.
Initially they were denied access but later the baby’s body was taken from the relatives and put away in an ambulance as talks between the two parties continued. They failed to reach agreement and the deceased’s parents resolved to take the body back to Mulago Hospital as they await compensation from KCCA.
The two-year-old child was crashed on Tuesday at KCCA court premises after the mother was arrested for hawking.
She reportedly begged to breast feed the child, but was denied access to the baby who then wandered off and went under a parked car and was run over.
The driver of the official vehicle of the KCCA publicist Peter Kauju has since been detained at the Central police Station.
In a separate development, the European Union is asking government to implement legislation meant to protect children’s rights.
The call comes as the country prepares to mark 25 years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child today.
Addressing the media yesterday, the Head of European delegation to Uganda, Ambassador Kristian Schmidt said although Uganda has various legislations meant to protect the rights of children, effective implementation is yet to be achieved.