Luwero mother on the run, investigated over child neglect

LUWERO - The Police in Luwero district are investigating circumstances under which a mother in Zirobwe, Luwero district, allegedly sneaked an ill toddler out of a medical facility late at night on February 22, 2025.

Medical reports seen by New Vision indicate that the baby, upon admission, was found to be suffering from acute malnutrition, cough and severe malaria.

However, a few days after its admission, Kulthum Namyalo, aboding at Wakatayi in Zirobwe sub-county, allegedly sneaked the two-year-old Rahim Ssegirinya from Project Orphans Medical Centre, prompting Police investigations.

Baby Rahim Ssegirinya when it had just been admitted at Project Orphans Medical Centre in Luwero.

Martha Butono, the probation and social welfare officer for Luwero district, intervened in the matter and wrote to the management of Project Orphans authorising them to take custody and care of the baby until the matter is sorted.

“The above-mentioned child has been referred to your organisation for safe custody and to continue with treatment after having been unlawfully removed from your medical facility. The child was assessed and diagnosed with acute malnutrition and a potential victim of tuberculosis as per the medical report,” Butono wrote in a letter dated March 01, 2025.

She said a police case, SDREFO 02/27/02/2025 of child neglect and unlawfully removing a child from a medical facility in critical condition was filed at Zirobwe against the mother.

Pastor George Ssanga speaking to the press. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Background 

According to Dr. Ernest Elotu, the facility in charge, Namyalo, in the company of her mother, Hadija Nabukalu, on February 22, 2025, brought the baby into critical condition and was admitted and offered free treatment.

He said they were shocked that a few days into treatment, Namyalo and her co-accused were seen by a night watchman jumping over a fence with the baby and taking it back home.

It was then that the management team became suspicious after they obtained tuberculosis samples from the baby and took them to a more advanced laboratory, waiting for the results. 

Dr. Ernest Elotu, the facility in charge.

He explained that the baby was still undergoing close monitoring and feared that returning the baby back to the community was a big risk of spreading the disease.

“We often refer more serious cases to government facilities like Bombo Military Hospital and Mulago National Referral Hospital, there was no way we would fail to offer the required treatment or referral if necessary to this child," he explained.

 Elotu added that it was the mother's behaviour that prompted them to inform Police, thereby arresting the child's grandmother, but its mother fled.

Baby's treatment free of charge

Pastor George Ssanga and his co-director Sarah Ssanga confirmed to the police that they had offered to treat the baby free of charge until full recovery and wondered why the mother and grandmother risked the life of a toddler by removing him from treatment.

Pastor Ssanga refuted claims from Namyalo that she was being rebuked by nurses for neglecting the baby, who had emaciated, yet she looked healthy.

Project Orphans in Zirobwe, Luwero district.

“The mother never complained to the management if she felt abused, but we suspect that she had selfish intentions of attending to personal business and ignored the plight of the child,” Ssanga explained.

He added that the organisation looks after several other vulnerable, needy children with disabilities and teenage mothers and could not fail to offer treatment to the child.

“We are willing to let the mother visit and interact with her baby until full recovery and hand it back to her without asking for a coin,” he stated.

Earlier, speaking to Bukedde TV, Namyalo accused the facility of involving the police in the matter of her baby, saying they wanted to arrest and prosecute her. She said before she sneaked out of the facility, she felt uncomfortable when the nurses accused her of neglecting the child. 

The LC1 chairman Sylvester Kiryowa.

What local leaders said 

The LC1 chairman, Sylvester Kiryowa, said the organisation was extending free and subsidised services to the community, including medical, insisting that many teenage girls who dropped out of school after conceiving were being rehabilitated and trained to acquire new skills.

"We commend this organisation for helping to train our young girls who can now earn a living, in addition to looking after vulnerable children," he stated.