By Hanning Mbabazi
Mukono: The police in Mukono have arrested a ruthless woman who allegedly forced her stepdaughter to eat food in which she had mixed her menstrual blood.
Annet Namata, a resident of Mukono Central Division in Mukono municipality, was arrested on Tuesday morning after being reported by her husband. Namata’s husband, Unusu Lungu, says that he learnt about the shocking incident from his neighbors who intervened to save the teenager’s life when they saw her vomiting on the veranda after the suspect had gone to catch grasshoppers. He says the curious residents asked the teenager what had happened but she couldn’t speak and instead pointed at a plate of food inside the sitting room.
The irritated residents notified Lungu after giving the teenager hot water to wash her mouth, garlic and charcoal to swallow.  Lungu says he couldn’t withhold his anger and attacked Namata at her workplace. (Home) She reportedly confessed and blamed the girl, saying that she removed the blood from a bucket and mixed it with her food. According to Lungu, the suspect fled into hiding when he left to report the matter to local authorities. The village council leaders later sweet-talked Namata on phone and convinced her to return for mediation. Sarah Namawejje, the women local council I representative, says Namata pleaded guilty to the accusations and asked for forgiveness.   She claimed that she was ill-advised by her friends to feed the minor with blood so as to turn her into a lunatic. Namata claimed that she feels infuriated because of the care her husband gives to the teenager. Rogers Sseguya, the Mukono District Police Commander, said the matter  is being handed by the child and family protection unit, which will send Namata to court for prosecution after conducting thorough investigations.
