Earlier today on The Fatboy show, Presenter Fatboy hosted Linneti Kirungi, an acid survivor and founder of Hope Care Rescue mission, an organisation dedicated to caring and instilling hope in acid attack survivors.
Like many acid victims, Kirungi’s attack was instigated by her lover, whom she had refused to marry before completing her university education. The attack happened one morning, while she was going to do exams at the university.
Linneti Kirungi said that it is unfortunate that in Uganda, most acid perpetrators get away with the crime and little justice has been done to punish them because of no practical law against the atrocity.
“One of the problems that has kept the offence ongoing is the police who have failed many acid victims. Most of the victims report the case immediately after the attack, but because it runs with them in intensive care, and them also being the eyewitnesses, the case ends up dying and no justice is given.
“For my case, I remember it ran when I was in hospital because I couldn't even see and the suspect was released within a week,”
She added that sometimes victims report threats of acid attacks but the police does not react and in the aftermath of the attack, it comes in but also does little to purport justice.
Now leading the fight, as the Director of Hope Care Rescue Mission, Kirungi says they are running a petition to see that a law against the vice comes to an end.
“First of all as acid survivors, we want this to end, and to end with us. As an organisation we are running a petition to seek a law that will come up with criminal procedures that will bring to justice the perpetrators. Many of the survivors have not gotten justice because when you report a case they tell you we use the Penal Code because there is no specific law on acid attacks,”
“I remember the president came out to give an address on the bomb attacks were six people were killed. But we have lost 200 people to acid attacks and there has never been a presidential address on that, what does that mean?
“So as acid victims we need a law regarding the access of acid whereby the sellers, producers and importers and everyone dealing in the business must have licenses such that when an attack happens, it is easy to track the suppliers and buyers and enable easier investigations,”
As their efforts in obtaining legal justice continue, Kirungi says her Organisation was created to help people like her often misjudged for contributing to these circumstances. Standing for the rest, she says the organisation was established to give a voice to the voiceless as well as medical, psychosocial, and moral support to victims.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy, Olive, Sarah and Lesham every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.
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