Kampala Woman Member of Parliament Shamim Malende has been airlifted to Nairobi Hospital in Kenya for urgent medical treatment after her health worsened.
Malende, 38, has been undergoing treatment at Nsambya Hospital since suffering a beating during the controversial passing of the Coffee Bill last November when shady security forces raided Parliament.
During the controversial Coffee Amendment Bill debate in Parliament, plainclothes security operatives illegally entered the floor of Parliament, forcibly removing and beating opposition MPs, including Malende.
Malende, who had previously been hospitalised for chest and shoulder pains sustained in the November 7 incident, was initially treated at Nsambya Hospital.
After 12 days of care, she was discharged but required further medical attention. Her condition deteriorated in recent days, prompting her transfer to Nairobi for more specialised treatment.
In a statement released earlier, Malende expressed her gratitude to the medical team at Nsambya Hospital for their care but reaffirmed her resolve to seek justice against the security operatives involved in the attack.
She vowed to take legal action against those responsible for the brutality, which she called an “unjustifiable” violation of her rights.
“I was manhandled as a woman from Parliament over disagreements with the government. We are protesting the rationalisation of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), and I will not stop until justice is served,” Malende said, addressing the media after her release from Nsambya Hospital.
She also highlighted that this assault raised serious concerns for the safety and rights of other women in Uganda who may not have the same public attention or legal protections.
The incident took place during a heated debate on the Coffee Amendment Bill when Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, invoked Rule 88(2) to suspend 12 MPs, including Malende, for indiscipline.
Malende, a youthful lawyer, has in the past also been flown to Nairobi for treatment. In November 2022, she was admitted to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi for specialised medical treatment.
Her health issues began on November 13, 2022, when she reportedly suffered a seizure at her residence in Kawempe and was initially admitted to Uganda Martyrs Hospital in Lubaga Division, Kampala.
Due to a deterioration in her condition, she was transferred to Aga Khan Hospital on November 20, 2022. Medical examinations indicated that she had ingested a strange chemical affecting her intestines, necessitating abdominal surgery.
Following the surgery, Malende remained in Nairobi for treatment and recovery for about three months before returning to Uganda in late February 2023.
