That is the anguished cry of a 70-year-old man whose 52-year-old wife of 16 years, has abandoned him for a blind man because he can no longer “fulfill his conjugal duties.”
Rose Atuko, a mother of 7, who has been married to Augustine Osupa of Kees village, Ngora subcounty in Ngora district of Uganda since 1999 is now cohabiting with John Opio, 52, a blind man.
And the duo are not joking, as their union has further been cemented by the birth of a son who is now three years and old Rose’s seventh child.
The matter, however, only came to light recently when Osupa sought the intervention of the Child and Family Protection Unit at Ngora Central Police Station in an attempt to have his darling back.
“I feel bad losing my wife to a blind man after producing six children with her during our 16-year-old marriage,” Osupa told newsmen.
“I still love my wife and it’s not good for our children to miss the love of either parent, especially considering my advanced age and my need to have a wife by my side.
But Opio, who was summoned to Ngora Central Police Station together with Rose, says since she has declared her love for him, he is willing to refund Osupa’s bride price to enable him marry his new catch.
“I will not prevent Rose from visiting the children she produced with Osupa if I marry her. I will also offer them support where necessary,” Opio said.
The head of the Child and Family Protection Unit in Soroti, Michael Erimu, has advised the two parties to have the matter resolved by clan members and accord the children their rights.
“Rose’s heart is with Opio who has also declared his readiness to meet the cultural requirements in marrying her. Therefore, the clan should be able to solve this matter without hurting any party,” directed said.
The chairman of the Irarak Imumwa clan to which Osupa belongs, Michael Opio, said they allowed Rose to marry Opio. “Osupa should reach an understanding with Opio and refund the bride price he paid,” Opio said.
During a recent clan meeting, Rose shocked relatives and friends by openly declaring that she could not continue being Osupa’s wife because of his advanced age and failure to carry out his conjugal duties.
‘Even if Opio is blind, my heart is with him because he is able to meet all my needs as a woman; unlike Osupa my former husband,” Rose declared. However, the deputy information minister for the Iteso Cultural Union, Jonathan Maraka, however, condemned the proposed union between Rose and Opio, saying she should stick to Osupa.
“What Rose and Opio have done is against Iteso cultural norms; Opio should be fined”.
Meanwhile, Patrick Onyait, the chairman of the Uganda National Disabled Union, said this was the first case he has registered of a “blind person being accused of grabbing another person’s wife.”