Police Hunt Woman Accused of Burning Four-Year-Old Daughter Over Missing Food

Police in Kampala have launched a manhunt for a woman accused of burning her four-year-old daughter over allegations that the child ate food that had been kept at home.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said on Monday that Maclean Zabaki is on the run after allegedly burning her daughter in an incident that occurred in Kyambogo, Nakawa Division.

“Preliminary findings indicate that the four-year-old child was burnt with hot water from a kettle by her biological mother, who accused her of eating rice in her absence,” Kawala said.

Police said Zabaki fled the scene after the incident and efforts are ongoing to trace and arrest her.

The incident comes amid continued cases of child torture and abuse across the country.

The 2025 Police Annual Crime Report indicated that 710 cases of child abuse and torture were reported last year, representing a 9.7 percent reduction from the 787 cases recorded in the previous year.

Wamala Region registered the highest number of cases with 136, while Kampala North and Kampala South recorded 56 and 51 cases respectively.

At district level, Mityana recorded the highest number of cases with 115, followed by Busia, Jinja, Kaliro and Mubende, which recorded 25, 21 and 16 cases respectively.

Speaking on Monday, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala warned members of the public against subjecting children to violence.

“Police condemns all forms of child abuse and torture. We urge guardians and parents to protect children and resolve disciplinary issues without resorting to violence,” Kawala said.