Father of girl who died in Oman cries for government help

Wilfred Arinda Nsheeka

Desperate parents of Ugandan young lady who died in Oman are crying to government and security agencies for help to repatriate the body to Uganda.

Uncertain whether they will afford to repatriate the body of Shivan Kihembo Mugume, Patrick Rwomushoro Katsirima Mugume and his wife Kedrace from Rushaaru, Nyibingo, Kebisoni Rukungiri District are appealing to the government, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and security agencies to help them in order to have their daughter given a decent burial.

It is alleged that Kihembo, 21, was trafficked to the Middle East country of Oman by a Kenyan company called Aljazeera which had offices in Kabusu, a Kampala suburb. She was connected to Aljazeera by a company agent only identified as Dalaus, who hails from Rubaare Ntungamo district.

Mr Mugume noted that they received the disturbing news of the death of their daughter from their son through WhatsApp on Friday, October 12. The causse of death is yet to be known.

“We were just told that Kihembo was found dead on Friday morning inside a small room in Ibra town. The body was transferred to Muscat Hospital,” he told Watchdog Uganda.

It is a common practice for Omani and Ugandan human trafficking agents to lock up girls in their offices in the different towns of the Arab country, especially when the victims decide to abandon work to elude torture from their bosses.

“We are now stranded on what to do next because when we contacted them, (Kihembo’s employers) they gave us two weeks yet relatives and family members keep coming here every day to mourn and comfort us,” Mugume said.

However, when contacted on phone Dalaus confirmed the development, noting that they are in negotiation to have the body back home in Uganda in two or three weeks .