Woman set on fire for being barren

A map showing Kole District in Uganda.

What you need to know:

  • The woman is currently recuperating at Lira Referral Hospital in northern Uganda

As the rest of the world celebrated Valentine’s Day, a man in Kole District in northern Uganda allegedly burned his wife for failing to bear him a child.

The suspect reportedly left his house for prayers and upon returning, he locked up his 40-year-old wife in their thatched house and set it ablaze.

The victim says her husband came home drunk, picked up a fight with her, calling her “useless” before setting their house on fire.

“When I came back home in the evening after selling bananas, I found him seated on the veranda. I entered the house to prepare for him food, but before I could serve him food, he locked the house and set it on fire,” she said.

The woman is currently recuperating at Lira Referral Hospital in northern Uganda.

According to the victim, her marriage with her polygamous husband has been on the rocks for the last 10 years for her failure to bear a child.

“He has been beating me for failing to produce a child,” she said.

Nurses at the hospital said her condition was improving.