In a shocking incident, a 19-year-old woman, Milly Mutonyi, was accused of abandoning her newborn baby in a pit latrine in Ntooke village, Kayunga Town council. The incident led to a public uproar, forcing the local police to intervene and disperse the crowd.
Mutonyi, who was eight months pregnant last month, had reportedly fallen in love with a new partner after the man who impregnated her denied responsibility. She decided to hide her pregnancy from her new partner, fearing he would not marry her if he discovered she was expecting.
The local council chairman of Ntooke village, Fred Ssekatonya, stated that Mutonyi did not disclose her pregnancy to her new partner. When her partner, Alex Ssenyonjo, questioned her about her increasing weight, she dismissed his concerns, claiming she was just gaining weight.
Ssenyonjo, who had recently rented a house for Mutonyi in Ntooke village, was unaware of her pregnancy. Mutonyi had previously dropped out of Kitimbwa Bright SS due to her pregnancy and had been living with a friend in Busaale village in Kayunga Sub-county, where she met Ssenyonjo, a taxi driver.
Ssenyonjo reported that Mutonyi had managed to hide her pregnancy from him during their time together. He mentioned that she would not undress in his presence and often claimed to be unwell when he approached her for intimacy.
Ssenyonjo received a distress call from a neighbor one morning, informing him that Mutonyi had given birth to a baby boy and abandoned him in a pit latrine. He rushed to their home and heard the baby crying from the pit latrine. He immediately called the police rescue and fire services team, who retrieved the baby after excavating the pit.
To protect Mutonyi from the angry mob, Ssekatonya locked her in her room. The baby boy was taken to Kayunga regional referral hospital for treatment, while Mutonyi was arrested and taken to Kayunga police station under tight security. The police had to fire live bullets in the air to disperse the angry crowd.
Mutonyi expressed regret for her actions, stating that she had decided to abandon her baby out of fear that Ssenyonjo would not marry her if he discovered her pregnancy. She apologized, stating that she only wanted to protect her new relationship.
Isa Katongole, the officer in-charge of Kayunga police station, stated that investigations into the incident were ongoing and that Mutonyi would be charged with attempted murder. Hellen Alikoba, the Kayunga police officer in-charge of the family and child protection unit, advised women to seek advice from authorities and professional counselors when facing such challenges.