New Year tragedy: How woman lost two kids

Hanifa Zalwango,  mother

‘‘I am a mother of the deceased, Ibrahim Kizito who was in P7 and Hikmart Nazaama who was in P6. Both were my children who were buried yesterday at Butambala. They died from this place [Freedom City] on [December ] 31 at night.

I actually didn’t know about the idea that their father was going to bring them to Freedom City because they don’t stay with their father. I left them with him at 2pm after having lunch and by 4pm, they were at Freedom City.

The following day, I received the call that my children had died. My two children had great dreams. Ibrahim wanted to be a pharmacist and Hikmart wanted to build a big house which could help orphans.

When I received that call yesterday, I could not believe it that my children were lying dead at Mulago and when I inquired, they told me they had broken their bones when everyone wanted to move out at the same time to watch the fireworks.

I then went to the city mortuary where I found her body and we buried them yesterday at 4pm in Butambala at their father’s place.

Grandfather to the deceased

‘‘My humble appeal is that such events should allocate the number of people who are supposed to be allowed. What caused the death of my two grandchildren was the huge number of people who were in this place.

We appeal to the government that what happened on [December] 31 should be a lesson. Such entertainment venues should be inspected [regularly] and regulated. .

You can not say the venue has a capacity of 1,000 and you allow 20,000 people inside because you want profits. Let this be the last time.  Lives should not be lost before the government act.

In this case, the capacity limits were not considered. They just allowed people to get in beyond their capacity. This risks people’s lives.’’