MUGABE R
The Rukungiri District Probation Office is grappling with the care and welfare of a newborn baby boy who was found abandoned in a swamp in Bikungu Cell, Nyeibingo Parish, Kebisoni Sub County. The five-day-old infant was discovered on Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Kanyamuhanga swamp by the LC1 Chairperson Gard Ngabirano, following a tip-off from a woman who was heading to her garden.
The woman had noticed a dog behaving unusually near the swamp. Upon closer inspection, she saw a pool of blood, prompting her to alert local authorities. Chairperson Ngabirano rushed to the scene and found the baby, who had just been born and discarded in the swamp with signs of womb clearance.
The baby was immediately taken to Rukungiri Central Police Station for a formal handover and later referred to Karoli Lwanga Hospital Nyakibale for medical care. Medical personnel at the hospital confirmed the baby was in good health and full-term at birth, but highlighted an urgent need for infant milk and clothing to cater to his growing appetite and hygiene needs.
Local residents and hospital visitors who saw the child praised his resilience and beauty, calling him a blessing and expressing hope for his future. Among them, Lilian Asiimwe, a resident of Bikungu Cell, offered to take up caregiving responsibilities for the baby if she can receive some support.
Jennifer Tumusimire, the Rukungiri District Probation Officer, thanked the District Health Office and hospital staff for their swift response, while also calling on well-wishers, NGOs, and charitable organizations to help care for the child. She blamed the incident on increasing cases of unwanted pregnancies and urged young women to seek guidance rather than resort to abandonment.
Meanwhile, District Police Commander SSP Kyangungu Appolo appealed to the public to report any woman in the community who was recently pregnant and is now without a baby, as investigations to trace the mother are ongoing.
As baby Joseph, the name given by hospital staff, continues to receive care, the Rukungiri community and local authorities are hopeful that he will find a loving and supportive home.
