Uganda baby torture causes uproar

A video clip showing a child caretaker torturing an 18-month-old baby has caused an outcry in Uganda with the public calling for harsh punitive measures.

The video that has gone viral with over 12 million hits shows a housemaid in a Kampala suburb feeding a baby with a spoon. When the baby vomited, the maid violently threw the toddler on the floor, causing the child to scream as she falls on her face.

The maid proceeded to clobber the child, kicked her before stamping on the helpless child's back.

Local newspapers on Monday were awash with articles of the incident that was reported to police by the parents of the baby on Nov. 13.

"The video of this baby being beaten is shocking," Aida Girma, the United Nations Children's Fund Representative here said in a statement issued on Monday. "Any such act of abuse and violence against children is completely unacceptable and a violation of every child's fundamental right to be protected."

According to the UN agency, about 3.5 million children between the ages of 6-17 -- 32 percent of all 6-17 year olds -- currently experience physical violence in Uganda.

"No child deserves to be hurt or mistreated in any way. We call on Government and all Ugandans to once and for all put an end to the atrocious violence too many children in Uganda continue to experience," Girma said.

The police said late Sunday that they are considering charging the maid with murder although she has already been charged with torture. The maid is in prison and will reappear before court on Dec. 8.

"The charge against her has been amended to Attempted Murder upon re-perusal by the Resident State Attorney and the pending lines of inquiry in advanced stages," the police said.

Gen. Kale Kayihura, the inspector General of Police, told reporters Monday that police will embark on issuing caretakers a certificate of good conduct which would be a prerequisite before taking on any employment.

He said the Child and Family Protection Department will continue to promote awareness and sensitization drives on the rights of children and families to help eliminate such acts of physical abuse against children.

"In extreme situations maids or helpers have suffocated babies to death, stuffed them in fridges, injected them with HIV/AIDS, sexually molested infants and attempted suicide due to psychological problems and mental fits," the police statement said.

"We would therefore, like to caution the public that such acts could be due to psychological problems suffered by maids and helpers, which calls upon the public taking great care while selecting domestic helpers," it added. Endite