The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Reformed youth leaders in Jinja city have asked the government to empower them so as to lead decent lives. The reformed youth leaders told Jinja city officers at Walukuba community grounds on Saturday that most of their members came to towns as street children, grew up into mature men, and resorted to pickpocketing as a means of survival.
They explained that over time, they ran into trouble with the police, which picked up some of their members for engaging in various crimes. Some of them were remanded to prison but were released due to lack of evidence and returned to terrorize communities.
Aziz Lubega, the chairperson of the reformed youths says that most of them have been selling marijuana as a means of survival, which influences the criminality within different slum areas in Jinja city. He however says that they have resolved to abandon these vices in the interest of living harmoniously with their community members.
According to Lubega, the persistent arrests during different police operations across Jinja city are contributing to the radicalization of the former street children who are often jailed together with notorious criminals who teach them sophisticated forms of crime.
David Bakibinga, a former member of the “Ghetto youth brigade,” says that most of their members have trained in self-help projects like hairdressing, crafts making, and bakery, among others but lack the capital to kick start their projects.
He says that their efforts of rehabilitating former street children have been further frustrated by what he termed as selfish politicians, whom he accused of hoodwinking the helpless youth to support their political agendas.
Richard Mbazira, the Jinja South East ward male councilor, says that the Jinja city leadership has devised means of mobilizing former street children to engage in low capital-intensive initiatives like bricklaying, which have since enabled some of them to earn a decent living.
Mbazira further says that there are ongoing negotiations between cell chairpersons and non-governmental organizations to rehabilitate youths affected by drug and alcohol abuse.
On his part, the Jinja City Southern Division Deputy Resident City Commissioner, Mike Segawa says that they are closely liaising with the coordinators of the presidential national skilling program in the different slums areas across the country where the beneficiaries are equipped with vocational skills and providing startup capital to improve their livelihoods.
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