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Masaka killings: Mulindwa’s widow struggles to pay school fees
Ms Margret Mulindwa, the window of Maid Mulindwa, who was killed by the assailants in Masaka in 2021. PHOTO/WILSON KUTAMBA
What you need to know:
- We bring you accounts of survivors of machete attacks in the Greater Masaka area in 2021.
- The attacks, which occured between July and September, claimed 28 lives and left several others with injuries. The attacks brought back ugly memories of similar attacks between 2017 and 2018, which left scores dead.
Madi Mulindwa, a 47-year- old, was killed by machete-wielding assailants on the night of August 27, 2021.
Mulindwa, a resident of Kisaaka Village in Kkingo Sub-county, Masaka City, was killed moments after the assailants attacked Mr Jimmy Ssemanda, who was waylaid on his way to Kisaaka Town. It was about five kilometers away from where Mulindwa was killed.
Mulindwa is survived by three children and a widow, Ms Margret Mulindwa.
Ms Mulindwa says the assailants chopped her husband to pieces.
“My husband was coming from Kisaaka Town heading home on August 27, 2021, when he was hacked to death by machete-wielding thugs, cutting him into pieces,” she says.
She adds that she was alerted about the killing by one of her neighbours at around 11:30pm.
“By the time we arrived at the scene, police had cordoned it off and the body was later taken to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for an autopsy,” Ms Mulindwa says.
She explains that her husband was the sole breadwinner of the family.
“He left me with three children and the eldest is now seven years old. Ever since he died, fending for my children has become extremely difficult,” Ms Mulindwa says.
She explains that the Shs10 million she received from President Museveni was used to construct a house.
“Because my husband left us sleeping in his relative’s home. Unfortunately, the money wasn’t enough to complete the three-roomed house. The walls are not plastered and floors are not cemented,” she says.
“I can hardly get money to finish the house and also pay our daily bills,” she adds.
Ms Mulindwa says she used to work in people’s gardens with her husband to fend for the family.
“Sometimes we could work as porters on big buildings in Masaka City. Since his death, I singlehandedly provide for the family, which has proved to be too much for me. Sometimes we sleep on empty stomachs,” she explains.
Limited options
Ms Mulindwa says currently, there is limited garden work as many residents are yet to harvest their produce.
“This leaves me with nothing to do apart from fetching water, cleaning, and washing clothes for other people so that I can raise some money to buy food,” she says.
Ms Mulindwa says her children didn’t get their term three school reports because she did not clear the school fees balance.
“And I am not sure they will go back to school next year. I’m appealing to President Museveni and other well-wishers to assist me set up some small business and raise some money to look after my children,” she says.
