Toddler electrocuted in retail shop

Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Jinja police are investigating the electrocution of a toddler in a retail shop. Two-year-old Anita Mwanje met her death on Sunday afternoon in one of the retail shops in Mpumudde West C cell in Southern division in Jinja city.

The shop is just about 10 meters from the toddler’s home. The proprietor of the shop whose identity was not readily available has since fled into hiding. It is alleged that Mwanje had gone to play with other children around the shop and accident put her fingers in an open socket leading to the unfortunate incident.

Her father, Matia Kavuma says that residents alerted him about the death of her daughter. Kavuma, a hawker says that his wife divorced him during last year’s lockdown and currently lives his children under the care of well-wishers.

Joshua Tenywa, the area defense secretary says that due to the lockdown measures, many parents have lost their formal employment and have resorted to all means of survival, leaving their children unattended to. He says that hungry children often go begging eats from shops.

Agnes Achieng, a resident within the area wants parents to devise means of safeguarding their children other than abandoning them under the care of well-wishers, most of whom have personal errands too.

Deborah Nakyesa, the village women council chairperson says that most young couples within their area have a minimum of five children each. She however notes that the level of child negligence is on the rise.

Kiira Regional police spokesperson James Mubi says that detectives inspected the scene of crime and took the toddler’s lifeless body to Jinja Regional Referral hospital mortuary for postmortem.

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