KIKUUBE — Precious Aheebwa, the only surviving child out of four poisoned by their father Wilson Kiiza in Kikuube District, was discharged from Hoima Regional Referral Hospital on Tuesday evening.
Her father, who also ingested poison but survived, was arrested upon discharge and is currently detained at Kikuube Police Station facing murder charges.
The three other children—Solomon Asaba (Primary Five), Wilson Asinguza (Primary One), and Happy Atugonza—succumbed to the poisoning shortly after arriving at the hospital and were buried on Monday.
Upon recovery, Aheebwa repeatedly asked for his mother, Lucia Tuhaise, and his siblings. Relatives arranged for Tuhaise to visit the hospital despite her initial reluctance, as the boy longed for his family.
“I could not tell him about his brothers yet,” Tuhaise said tearfully. “When we return home, I will take him to their graves and explain.”
Tuhaise refuted rumors that she and Kiiza had separated, explaining that they had lived together peacefully for 15 years.
She described Kiiza as a peaceful man who had recently been fasting, and expressed disbelief at what led to the tragedy.
Kiiza, expressing deep remorse, said he felt possessed by an uncontrollable force at the time of the poisoning.
“I regret what happened. I never intended to kill my children. I only wish it had been me,” he said tearfully before being taken to police custody.
The family is now focusing on supporting Aheebwa’s recovery, as the mother plans to care for him closely while seeking counseling for the trauma.
The poisoning incident unfolded after Kiiza asked to take the children to their grandfather but instead took them to a banana plantation where he gave them poisoned cough medicine.
Initial symptoms were mistaken for witchcraft before the severity was realized and the children rushed to hospital — unfortunately too late for three of them.
Community members and relatives are mourning the loss while calling for prayers and support for the surviving child and family.
