Uganda Archives - No Más Mulas

From clothes seller to drug courier

I am 45 years old, born in Tanzania in the Mbeya region, Kyela district. In a family of 11 children, I am the 10th child.

I got married when I was 17 years old and was blessed with four children, all of whom are boys. But when I was pregnant with my last child, that is when my life changed until today where I am here in prison. When I was three months pregnant, I went to the hospital to start the antenatal care. When you are pregnant in Tanzania, you must test for HIV. I tested and was found to be infected with the HIV virus.

When I returned home and explained the HIV test results to my husband and asked him to test as well, he angrily refused to get tested saying he is safe and has no infection. Since I was the one infected, I entered this situation on my own, and my life changed. He started drinking heavily and beating me a lot.

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Caught in the snare

I’m a 31-year-old man from Uganda. I had difficulties getting a job after obtaining my bachelor’s degree in business administration. I finally got a job as a salesman through my father, a branch manager at a store that sold tires. I held this job for more than five years.

It was during that time that I started my own family and all was well until I got a call from my aunt one evening telling me my mom had been admitted to hospital after collapsing during a community-saving meeting. She was diagnosed with carcinoma, and the only fair news was that it was still at an early stage and could be stopped from spreading to other parts of her body. The doctor informed us that my mother was experiencing heart failure. That’s why she had collapsed. I knew that very day that this was a turning point in all of our lives.

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A shocking deception

I’m Ugandan by nationality and 40 years old. I’m a father of three precious children, living in Uganda with my wife. I was arrested in January 2023 at Hong Kong Airport by customs officials after they found dangerous drugs on my clothing during a search. I was charged with trafficking in dangerous drugs in a Hong Kong court after realizing that it was illegal. I am writing this letter to appeal to all people, friends, and relatives: please don’t be influenced by friends or social media to get involved in dangerous drugs.

I was born and raised in a family that was full of poverty. Because of this, I was forced to struggle a lot to take care of myself and my younger siblings, as I am the fifth of eleven children. My parents were poor and couldn’t afford to educate me or my older brothers. I suffered a lot to help my parents care for and educate my siblings, and it was my dream to work hard to educate my children to the level they want, which I have failed to attain.

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CAUTION: Easy money doesn’t pay

I am a 38-year-old woman, born in Kampala, Uganda. My father had six children with my stepmother, and nine children with my mother. My siblings and I are not close, nor were they close to my mother.

Our family situation was not favorable and we lacked everything. My father was a government army soldier with a modest income that barely covered our household expenses. From an early age, I understood that I had to work hard to survive.

I was in Form 4 in high school when our father disappeared and left us without income. We did not know why or where he had gone. Even the army was looking for him. We were left destitute.

One day, I decided to run away from home due to the tough conditions we were facing. I was separated from my family for seven years without them knowing my whereabouts. By the time I returned, I had missed most of my middle school years.

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Will I ever see my children again?

I’m a 29-year-old male from Uganda, born in the city of Iganga. I come from a modest Muslim family, one of ten children. Growing up was challenging due to our limited resources. Our parents struggled to provide for our basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, and medical care, a problem further compounded by the government’s inability to assist.

Despite these hardships, I attended school, though I often lacked the funds for school fees, books, and other materials. When I was old enough to work, a friend offered me a job opportunity. I didn’t think twice before accepting, eager to earn money and improve my situation.

Continue reading Will I ever see my children again?