crime 5 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Kasese Father Held After Toddler Dies in Food Dispute with Wife
A man in Kasese District has been arrested for allegedly killing his young child during a heated argument with his wife over supper. The incident unfolded when a demand for better food escalated into violence, leading to the toddler's death. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/kasese-man-arrested-over-killing-child-during-food-fight-with-wife--5448568
A tragic domestic quarrel in Mughete Village, Kitabu Sub-county, Kasese District, ended with the death of a toddler on Monday night. Zalimon Bwambale reportedly returned home late, unhappy with the beans and kalo prepared by his wife, sparking a fierce dispute.
The argument quickly turned physical. As the wife strapped the child to her back and tried to escape, Bwambale grabbed a pestle. He aimed for her but struck the child instead, who later succumbed to the injuries, according to local leader Robert Bwambale.
Bwambale fled but was caught by villagers around 4:00 a.m. and turned over to police. Tensions flared as residents tried to seize him for mob justice, prompting officers from Kyarumba Town Council to rush him to Kisinga Police Station for safety. He faces transfer to Bwera for deeper probes.
Neighbors revealed a pattern of abuse, with late-night shouting and the wife fleeing with the child. ‘His yelling kept us all awake,’ said resident Vangirina Mbambu.
Local chairperson Robert Kyana decried the violence, calling for peaceful conflict resolution. ‘Domestic fights can destroy lives,’ he warned. Despite a drop in overall Ugandan crime from 218,715 cases in 2024 to 196,405 in 2025, family violence persists as a major issue.