news 29 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Kayunga Hospital Reveals New Twist in Missing Baby Case After Nine Months
Nine months after a newborn vanished from Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital, the facility claims the mother handed the baby to a person she thought was a relative upon discharge, contradicting the parents' story of a stranger taking the child from the ward. Hospital director Dr. Robert Ssentongo states police are investigating as the parents express frustration over delays. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/new-details-emerge-on-kayunga-missing-baby-5440860
Nine months following the disappearance of a newborn girl from Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital in July 2025, the hospital has released a statement challenging the parents’ account.
Hospital Director Dr. Robert Ssentongo explained that 20-year-old mother Zanula Namulondo, after receiving care post-delivery, gave the baby to an individual she believed was her cousin from Nansana, Wakiso District, upon discharge. The person then vanished with the child.
This differs from the narrative by parents Ivan Sserumansi and Namulondo, who claimed an unidentified woman in the maternity ward offered to hold the baby while the mother recovered from a caesarean section on July 19, 2025, and then fled.
Dr. Ssentongo noted the hospital swiftly alerted security, management, and Uganda Police Force, who are leading the probe. Internal reviews suggest the recipient was known to the mother and seen as a relative by those present, with no apparent risk flagged to staff.
The parents have voiced dissatisfaction with the slow progress and frustrations in recovery efforts. The director urged the public to avoid speculation and affirmed full cooperation with authorities to prioritize patient safety, especially for mothers and infants.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)