High defilement rates worry Busia leaders

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | The increasing numbers of defilement cases in Busia have triggered worry among district leaders. More than 67 defilement cases have been registered since the beginning of the year, according to Patrick Lule, the operation commander at Busia Central Police Station.

He says that the majority of the cases registered from Masafu, Masaba, Buteba and Busitema sub counties. Involve girls between 14 and 17 years of age. According to Lule, most of the girls were defiled by married men aged above 30.

He attributes the rise to parental negligence mainly during the festive season where young girls were left to roam around without any supervision.

Benna Nanyama, the Assistant Busia District Health Officer- DHO, says due to the high defilement rate teenage pregnancy in the district stands at 31 percent compared to the national average of 30 percent. She says the district has partnered with Non-Government Organizations to sensitize the public on the dangers of defilement.

Sylvia Nabwire, the Majanji Parish female councilor blames the increasing defilement cases to high poverty levels in the district with more parents failing to provide basic necessities to their children.

Charles Wabwire, a resident of Majanji village says there is a need for local leaders to conduct community sensitization, especially on parents to support girl child.

Benjamin Ogoli, a resident of Masafu village in Masafu sub-county says most children have smartphones that expose them to social media, which is full of pornographic content that lures them into risky sexual behaviour and ends up being defiled by men.

By the time of filing this story, Masafu police were holding 14 suspects in connection to defilement.

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