Daniella Atim, the ex-wife of renowned Ugandan musician Jose Chameleone, has opened up about her decision to leave her marriage and start a new life in the United States with her children.
In a candid post on social media, Daniella shared details of her emotionally taxing journey and the difficult choices she had to make over the years.
Daniella revealed that she mentally and emotionally distanced herself from her marriage in 2016. “I checked out of my abusive marriage in 2016 and began planning my exit while maintaining appearances,” she explained.
Her plan involved taking a six-month trip to the U.S. to familiarize herself with what would soon be her new life. Two years later, in 2018, she left her husband for good, along with her children.
To avoid suspicion, Daniella left quietly, taking only what she had on her person. She temporarily stayed with her brother, confiding in him only on the day of her departure, to avoid being talked out of her decision.
She later stayed with a friend and took on odd jobs while waiting for legal clearance to work.
Daniella said she worked two full time jobs, sometimes leaving for days without returning home.
“My then 14 year old son would stay in charge of his siblings in my absence .”
She said things started getting better and she enrolled all her five kids in private schools and in 2021 she became a home owner.
Daniella says in the same year in 2021, she pressed charges against individuals and businesses “who have been finally charged with felony in the federal court.”
She also let the cat out of the bag about securing a restraining order against Jose Chameleone in 2023 “after he threatened me in my own space .And I went no contact as well .”
She said she is currently working on earning licensure to become a business owner.
Daniella says she has allowed herself to feel loved against but said she has one regret.
“I was scared. I had no idea what I was doing but I am so glad I took that leap of faith…my only regret is not having left sooner.”
Jose Chameleone, one of Uganda’s most famous musicians, has long been embroiled in public spats with his now ex-wife Daniella.
The couple’s relationship had been subject to scrutiny for years, with allegations of physical and emotional abuse surfacing multiple times.
Daniella’s decision to leave and relocate to the U.S. appears to have been the culmination of years of marital discord.
The two had their share of highly publicized fights, with Daniella once filing for divorce in 2017, citing cruel treatment and domestic abuse.
Though Chameleone denied the claims at the time, Daniella’s latest revelations paint a clearer picture of the distress she endured during their marriage.
