According to information obtained by our reporter, Nabwire who was still dressed in her official uniform met a police patrol vehicle. She says that one of the officers who she couldn’t identify jumped from the police patrol and started beating her on the head, neck and other body parts.
A team of officials from the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union-UNMU
led by the worker’s Member of Parliament have asked the government to deliver
justice to a nurse in Busia district who was brutalized by police officers. Ruth
Nabwire, who is attached to Busia health center IV, was reportedly brutalized
by the police officers while enforcing the nighttime curfew on June 20th,
2021 on her way to her residence in Arubaine village from work around 7:20 Pm.
According to information obtained by our reporter, Nabwire
who was still dressed in her official uniform met a police patrol vehicle. She says
that one of the officers who she couldn’t identify jumped from the police patrol
and started beating her on the head, neck and other body parts. According to Nabwire, the same officers had 15 minutes
earlier handed her a patient at Busia health center IV. Nabwire says that
she handed the patient to her colleagues who had reported for night duty and
signed out.
She, however, says that unfortunately the same officers met her on
her way and brutalized her minutes after. Nabwire says that the attack by the
police has affected her left eye and left her with a lot of pain in the ear and
severe headache.
//Cue in: "With my ear..
Cue out:...start beating me,"//
Justus Cherop, the president of Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union-UNMU, says
that they want the police officers behind the attack prosecuted. She says that they have given the Busia
District COVID-19 task force two day’s ultimatum to apprehend the culprits or
else they ask all nurses in Busia to lay down their tools.
//Cue in: "The issue to be...
Cue out:...there and work,"//
Workers Member of Parliament, Abdul Byakatonda, says that
they have also petitioned the office of Prime Minister against the attack on a
front-line health worker by police personnel. Byakatonda says that when
they tried to intervene at police, the District Police Commander decided to
shield the errant police officer.
//Cue in: "With again adding...
Cue out:... anything for granted,"//
Luganda audio:
//Cue in: "Atte nebadamu okukuba...
Cue out:...okutwala gavument mukoti,"//
Annet Birungi, the Treasurer of the National Council of Nurses and Midwives,
says that they have a big challenge with police who are not paying attention especially
to nurse working night duties.
//Cue in: "We delay on...
Cue out:... a nurse goes through,"//
Stephen Mugeni Wasike, the Busia District LC V chairman accused the District
Police Commander of failure to reign in on his juniors. Mugeni says that they have held several security meetings
where they have repeatedly warned police officers against brutalizing essential
workers in the area in vain.
//Cue in: "Nga mazze okubawa...
Cue out:...DPC ajjibwewo eBusia,"//
John Rex Aachila, the Busia Resident District commissioner-RDC, says that they
are unhappy with the way is brutalizing people without listening to their
explanations. He says they want the police officer who brutalized the nurse to
face the law to act as an example to other would-be offenders.
//Cue in: "Halfness of the police...
Cue out:... don't allow that one"//
Hassan Kamba, the legal officers of Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union-UNMU, says
they will remain on the ground to ensure is matter is addressed conclusively.
//Cue in: "A person who beat...
Cue out:...taken action as,"//
The acting Busia District Police Commander, Tony
Odonkara declined to comment on the matter.
Gabriel Mukisa
Freelancer