Domestic worker dies on bus in Western Uganda

BY PATRICIA NAMUTEBI

Passengers travelling with Kasaba bus from Kampala to Rukungiri in Western Uganda were on Saturday 22^nd July shocked after learning that a female passenger died in transit.

Kyomuhendo Margaret, a 32 year old, a resident Kagamba Village, Kajara County , Ntungamo District in Western Uganda died on spot while sitted after encountering  constant blood flows which was gashing  out from her body.

The deceased was working in Kampala as a maid.She is survived three children.

Ms Aisha Kedembe, the mother to the deceased says she had travelled from the village in western Uganda to Kampala in central Uganda to pick her only daughter who had been ringing her several times following her illness.

“My daughter had earlier on called me two weeks back and she told me that she was four months pregnant and sick with malaria. She then spent some time without calling me,” Ms Keddembe said.

She attributed the cause of her daughter’s death to over bleeding as a result of a complicated miscarriage.

“On Thursday (July,20,2023) she called me to go and pick her up since she seemed to be in a worse condition  and her breathing had changed. “I sensed this over our phone call. Immediately I boarded a bus from my village to Kampala,” She said.

“I arrived in the Morning and my daughter’s boss brought her to the Taxi park where I picked her from and proceeded to Kisenyi bus terminal,” She explained.

According to her, she was already planning to take her daughter to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital  due to financial constraints however it was already too late coz was dead.

“When we reached Ntungamo District,I requested the bus conductor to allow me pick the body so that we take it to the village for burial,” She added.

One of the passengers who were sitted in the bus but preferred anonymity said“The conductor told us to support her till we reach her final destination. I must say it’s my first time holding a corpse but my being coward stopped today. Just realized life is so short indeed,” She said.

“Just wishing we reach safely..it’s my first journey to the west, sat in the bus from 8am to 12;40pm when we set off from Kampala, lost my neighbor in Kyengera,” She said on Saturday.

I Uganda women still suffer with confusion and stigmatisation when it comes to matters of reproduction in particular unwanted pregnancies. This has led to a number of health complications and even death. Such is a major disruption of peace among women too.