2,051 girls defiled in Kamuli in the past five years – report

KAMULI. The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, and Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Royal Highness, Gabula IV have vowed to fight defilement, child marriages and teenage pregnancies in Busoga region.

This follows a report conducted by Plan International, a child-centred organization operating in the districts of Kamuli and Buyende which has revealed that 2,051 girls were reportedly defiled in Kamuli between 2012 and September 2017.

The year 2012, according to the report, had the highest number of defilement cases at 466 while 2017 (up to September) has since registered the lowest number (168).

The years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 registered 465, 345, 298 and 309 respectively, while 1,212 children, according to police records, suffered domestic violence, with 2017 (as at September) registering the highest number (340) while 2012 registered 124 cases. The years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 registered 156, 167, 164 and 261 cases respectively.

The report rallied communities and leaders to end child marriages, defilement and child abuse, by raising critical concerns on whether defilement and domestic violence which is a resultant cause of defilement, child marriages and teenage pregnancies is on the increase or the reporting has increased due to their awareness creation.

While hosting children at his Budhumbula palace to mark this year’s Day of the African Child, the Kyabazinga declared that this year’s Busoga Kyabazinga Institution theme was ‘End Child Marriages, Keep Girls In School’ and urged the public to work through existing institutions to serve the people, protect the children and reinvigorate parenting values and warned that any subject who flouts this directive will be treated as a ‘social outcast’.

He added that the Basoga culture and Bible cherish children as blessing from God and future generation who should be protected and well nurtured.

Kyabazinga said: “Child marriage is biologically, religiously and traditionally bad. You are directed to make by-laws on child marriages, use your wisdom to guide and manage Busoga but above all protect the young children.”

Speaker Kadaga decried the rampant child marriages, defilement and child abuse cases, calling for protection of children from all forms of torture, abuse and opening of a revolution to revive traditional and religious pastoral values.

She said these vices cause trauma, personality disorders and suppress children’s potential for growth and development.

“Who and where are the neighbours and local leaders when these young girls are given away? Who are these looking on as these children are living as wives and life goes on?” she wondered.

Ms Kadaga then called for use of available structures like Local Council systems, parents, religious and cultural leaders to monitor and track child marriages and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.

She further warned that child marriage is ‘immorality and modern-day slavery, equal to child trafficking or at least kidnap’ since the girl-child has no authority over herself, before challenging communities to be protective and allow the girl child to grow and ‘ripen’.

The Kyabazinga ordered his subjects to end child marriages, defilement and teenage pregnancies which he said are unacceptable vices which infringe on children’s rights and directed that any marriage ceremony should be accompanied by a valid birth certificate.

“We as Kyabazinga institution are happy to partner with Plan International to secure the future of our generation (the children) and are ready to provide social insurance through raising awareness, social accountability and advocacy. Go out and change community attitudes, ensure all duty bearers fulfill their responsibilities and above all change community attitudes in favour of children,” the Kyabazinga charged.

Plan International Program Unit Manager, Patrick Emukule, advocated for multi-sector approach to child protection so as to ensure rights and justice for children.

He said: “We want to support the government agenda in ensuring that children’s rights are respected, observed and protected.”

Adding: “During our interventions, community dialogues and stakeholders’
meetings, we discovered that delayed, miscarriage and denial of justice to children in addition to failure to provide, domestic and gender-based violence and negotiations came to the fore with perpetrators belonging to high class and protected system.”

Mr Emukule said that the partnership with traditional and religious leaders was a hallmark towards securing the rights of children and achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Busoga North Police Spokesperson, Michael Kasadha, said parents collude with defilers and have abdicated their parental responsibilities and only report when the negotiations fail.

He said: “Parents are the biggest perpetrators of defilement! They report cases and lose interest after getting their bargain and we are now focusing on them in child-related offenses.”

Kamuli District Probation Officer, Joshua Mboizi, called for increased understanding, empowerment, advocacy, and crime-control strategies through collaborative engagement, building public trust, response and feedback to reduce on such vices.

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