Govt in school drive to protect learners from LGBT promoters 

The executive director of National Children Authority Mr Martin Kiiza addressing pupils at Kikungiri primary school in Kabale town on March 23, 2023. PHOTOS/ ROBERT MUHEREZA.

What you need to know:

  • According to him, the anti-homosexuality campaign has been merged with the growing of fruit trees in school compounds that will serve as windbreakers, besides providing fruits to the learners.

In attempt to empower and protect children from the LGBTQ promoters, among other forms of child rights violations, the National Children Authority (NCA) has launched the revival of Children's Rights Clubs in schools.
This comes days after the Members of Parliament on March 20 passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023, with a last-minute introduction of death as penalty for the offenders convicted of aggravated homosexuality.

The Authority’s executive director, Mr Martin Kiiza on Thursday presided over the ceremony in different primary and secondary schools in Kabale district as he explained some of the tactics used by the promoters of LGTB to lure school children into joining what he described as unnatural sexual acts that have a potential of ruining their lives.

“We have opted to launch the children rights clubs in primary and secondary schools so that learners can be able to raise their voices against LGBT and any other forms of abuse. These clubs will also allow the children to properly advocate for their rights given that criminal acts against them are increasing in Kigezi region and the whole nation at large. We are targeting to form about 25,000 children rights clubs in western region with the senior men and women teachers being the immediate supervisors,” Mr Kiiza said.

According to him, the anti-homosexuality campaign has been merged with the growing of fruit trees in school compounds that will serve as windbreakers, besides providing fruits to the learners.
Statistics from the biostatisticians from the six districts that form Kigezi region presented by the respective probation officers during the stakeholders meeting in Kabale town on Wednesday indicated that a total of 9,394 cases of teenage pregnancies were recorded in the financial year 2021/2022 and part of 2022/2023 while defilement cases totaled to 268 while domestic violence in the same period totaled to 1,419. The statistics also showed that a total of 1,516 cases of child neglect were recorded in the same period. 

“These cases of child abuse recorded can be a target of the promoters of LGBT if they are not checked. We need to work as a team to protect our children from any forms of abuse as we give them hope for their bright future,” Mr Kiiza said.
The inspector of schools, Mr Wilberforce Nabasa said the interventions by the NCA has come at the right time as it supplements their daily activities of mobilizing children to remain in schools and called upon other stakeholders, especially the religious leaders to use their platforms to fight all forms of child abuse and teenage-related challenges.

“Although we have not registered any cases related to LGBT in our schools, cases of teenage pregnancies, defilement and child neglect are rampant thus staging a serious threat to the future of our children. We welcome the campaign launched by the National Children Authority and we shall ensure that it succeeds for the good of all the school children in our district,”Mr Nabasa said. 
He asked community members and school administrators to be on the lookout so that the suspected promoters homosexuality and other child abuse cases are arrested and prosecuted.