SAD! 3-month-old baby hospitalized after chimpanzee attack in Hoima

Hoima: A three-month and two-week-old baby boy has been hospitalized at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital after being attacked and injured by a chimpanzee.

Mubarak Ajuna was attacked by a chimpanzee on Sunday at around 8 a.m. in Bubaale North Cell, Karongo Ward, Hoima West City Division.

Majid Isingoma, the father of the victim, reveals that Ajuna was attacked when it was being taken to its mother for breastfeeding by his 13-year-old brother Twalib Murungi.

‘’My child was attacked when it was being taken by its 13-year-old brother to the mother for breastfeeding,’’ he told this publication on Tuesday.

Fred Atugonza, the Bubaale North Cell LC 1 chairperson, stresses that the chimpanzees have become a big problem in his village, saying that this is the 4^th child attacked, with one being killed.

‘’This is a fourth child to be attacked and injured, and recently one child was killed by the chimpanzee, so its a big problem now in our area,’’ he added.

Penina Kusemererwa, one of the residents whose child was attacked by a chimpanzee in 2012, said her child is now disabled and there is no compensation for the injuries received up to now.

Godfrey Isingoma, a resident of Bubaale south cell, said that the chimpanzees, which are believed to be over 200 in number, were brought by Uganda wildlife authority over time, yet the forest they inhabit is reducing in size.

Some of the local leaders blamed UWA for letting the chimpanzees stay with people.

Moses Africa, the warden in charge of Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve, said that the parents of the child should seek compensation for the kid.

He, however, said that they will visit the place to see the possibility of shifting the chimpanzees from the area. ‘’We shall visit the place and see the possibility of shifting the chimpanzees,’’ he added.

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