Woman loses land after being conned by in-law

She said three of her daughters recently fled their marital homes and returned home. However, two are in police custody. One daughter is detained in Kenya for illegally exchanging money as a bar attendant while the other is in Buyende prison as an alleged accomplice to her husband in mob action that resulted in the death of an alleged thief.

Ms Namulinda said she sold a piece of her land at Shs1 million, sold a goat, four chickens and handed over the money to one of her brothers-in-law who said the money would be used to secure the release of her daughter at Buyende Prison.

She, however, said this in-law conned her because he did not even visit his niece in prison.

As a result, Ms Namulinda said she has lost land, money and has to take care of six grandchildren whose mothers are currently unable to meet their needs because two are detained.

 “If I was not a believer in Allah, with the pain, suffering and troubles I have gone through, I would have left this world long ago. But when I look at these children, I can’t abandon them because we suffer together,” Ms Namulinda said at the weekend.

She added: “The brother of my late husband took the land, while my girls are rotting in cells simply because I am a woman who gave birth to only daughters.”

One of her grand daughters, Shamim Namulinda, a Primary Two dropout, said she was in school in Buyende, when a mob beat up a suspected thief to death and her father and mother, who had gone to the scene and were trying to help, were arrested.

The Plan International Programme Area Manager-Kamuli, Ms Zaituna Asio, said: “How can an uncle con a widow...and frustrate her efforts to secure justice for the daughter?”

She called for increased awareness on equality, and ending gender based violence.