A poignant scene unfolded at Entebbe Airport on Wednesday evening as the family of 23-year-old Brenda Nakimuli welcomed her back to Uganda after a harrowing ordeal in Jordan. Nakimuli had spent six months in Jowaida prison after being trafficked out of the country. Amidst tears of joy and sorrow, her family, along with other passengers and airport users, shed tears of relief and empathy.
Clad in a blue-striped gomesi, Justine Nabawanga, Nakimuli’s mother, was visibly overcome with emotion, praying fervently as she waited for her daughter’s arrival. After two failed attempts to secure Nakimuli’s return, Nabawanga’s prayers were finally answered as she watched her daughter emerge from the airport terminal, tears streaming down her face.
According to Patrick Lubwama, Nakimuli’s brother, she was trafficked by an agent named Joseph Kato in 2022. Assigned to work as a maid in a residence in Jordan, Nakimuli endured harrowing experiences, including attempted rape and unknown medication administered without cause. Despite her trauma, Nakimuli’s exact route of trafficking remains unclear.
Efforts to bring Nakimuli back to Uganda faced numerous challenges. Requests for her return were thwarted twice due to her poor health and lack of proper documentation. Finally, through the intervention of Muko protection agency, Nakimuli was reunited with her family.
Najimeddin Najim, the agency’s owner, highlighted Nakimuli’s ordeal and the agency’s efforts to secure her return. Now back in Uganda, Nakimuli’s family will care for her as she recovers from her ordeal, while efforts are made to seek justice for her and reclaim any funds owed to her.
