By Fred Muzaale| Monitor
Three children aged between 11 and 13 shocked authorities in Kayunga District on Monday after they opened a case against their mother, accusing her of throwing the trio out in February after getting married to another man in their deceased father’s marital home.
Appearing before the district probation officer Collins Kafeero, the three boys accused their 43-year-old mother Hadja Nabutono of mistreatment and chasing them away from their home in Nawankonge Village, Kayonza Sub-county.
Their father Sepiriano Omoding, who was a renowned traditional healer died in 2017 aged 75, leaving the widow with 8 children.
However, five of the 8 children are aged above 18 and have since left home.
But among the property Omoding left was a 15-acre piece of land and a permanent family house.
“Last year, we were shocked when our mother brought a man in our late father’s house and told us to begin referring to him as ‘father’. As time went by, our relationship with our mother started deteriorating as she claiming we were not respectful to our new father,” the 13-year-old child tearfully explained to Kafeero.
He says he completed P7 in 2023 while his two siblings are in P6 and P4 respectively at Nyondo R/C Primary School in Kayonza Sub-county.
The children further faulted their mother for forcefully sending them to their grandfather’s home in Kakures Village in Kumi District as schools opened for term 1 in February.
Nawankonge Village LC chairperson Annet Awinjo said: “Nabutono chased away her children and is happily staying with her new husband in the home.”
Although the youngsters had gone on the promise to continue their learning, they were never enrolled as they spent two weeks learning how to use an oxen to plough.
“After learning, we were sent to carry out commercial oxen ploughing but never given a coin,” they said.
Suffering, they say, prompted them to walk from Kumi District to Kayunga District to confront their mother during the weekend.
“We were so lucky because while walking after Kumi District, a man got suspicious and asked us where we were going. We explained our plight to him and he gave us Shs50,000 which we used as transport to Kayunga,” Olupoto said.
They reached Kayunga on Sunday night and filed a case with the probation office a day later.
The children want Kafeero to direct their stepfather away from their father’s home, and also order their mother to cater for their education.
The 13-year-old boy said he has a dream of becoming a motor-vehicle engineer while his young siblings want to join police.
According to Awinjo, local authorities have previously foiled attempts by Nabutono to sell off the 15-acre piece of land at Shs60m.
When contacted, Nabutono claimed the children had rebelled against her and dropped out of school.
“Those children are undisciplined and want to kill me,” she claimed.
On Monday, Kafeero said he was going to work with area leaders to ensure that the children get justice.
“The God who has brought you here is going to ensure that you get back to father’s home and also continue with your education,” Kafeero told the weeping children.
Kafeero vowed that Nabutono and her new husband are to face the law.