Khadijah Nantume wears a beaming smile, but her eyes and physical outlook tell a story of endured misery.
She was once a happily-married mother with a loving husband, but all these are gone. The pale 40-year-old now lives a dejected life; dumped by her husband and thrown out of her marital home, she now lives is a shack with her children.
Then recently a group of Muslims from Hear Uganda came to Nantume’s rescue with food and beddings, a gesture that prompted her to even convert from Christianity to Islam.
“I decided to convert to Islam since Muslims were always there for me in all the bad times,” says Nantume, a resident of Kakubo village, Butambala.
She feels indebted to Muslims from Kakubo Masjid Taqwa, led by Imam Abubakar Sendawula, who have now become her second family.
“The counseling and donations they gave me were enough to show they were my sisters and brothers,” she said.
Nantume adopted the Islamic name of Khadijah, like Prophet Muhammad’s wife, and prefers using it since Khadijah was a very strong businesswoman, and that is Nantume’s dream.
Nantume was married to one Ashraf Bbosa in 2003; Bbosa had just converted to Islam then, although he was not practicing the religion. He made her hate Islam during their marriage.
“The man used to drink alcohol a lot then demand for sex all the time. And when I resisted, he would beat me, abuse me and also accuse me of sleeping with other men in the village,” she said with tears in her eyes.
With such a routine, Nantume gave birth to her four children in quick succession since her husband forbade her from using family planning. During her pregnancies, Bbosa also shunned all responsibility.
“[When my pregnancies neared full-term], Bbosa would force me to return to my parents’ home with intent of dodging the hospital bills. However, after spending time with my parents and then returning home, I would find him with other women in my home,” Nantume said. “Eventually our marriage failed and he dumped me with the children who are not studying. Right now, I am a struggling single mother.”
When Nantume reported Bbosa to Kabasanda police station, her husband also threatened to hack her until he was arrested and charged with domestic violence. However, he was released suspiciously.
In the ramshackle, grass-thatched house, Nantume says her children endured cold nights and a leaking roof, effects of which led to sickness and eventual death of two of them.
“During the rainy season, we would squat or stand until it stops…which led two of my children to die of pneumonia since I used to cover them with polythene bags only,” a teary Nantume said.
She pays tribute to their village LCI chairman Hajji Muhammad Kateregga, who connected her to one Hajji Hamed Muguluma and they built her a house.
“I sold my goat at Shs 100,000, which Muslims topped up and built me the two-room house,” she said.
Nantume said when her house was complete, Bbosa returned home and started fighting and chasing her from the house claiming it was not hers. She refused and reported him to the police.
“He claimed the house was built on his land. He also forced me to sleep with him. When I refuse, he beats me yet I don’t know his HIV status since we separated four years ago,” she said.
Kateregga said they separated the house into two, for Bbosa to live alone in one part and Nantume in the other, but they are still fighting. For now, Nantume is counting on her newfound faith to bring her the solace that has eluded her all her life.
zurah@observer.ug
