The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kwania, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kwania district probation and welfare department, and residents of Aduku township cell in Aduku town council have decried the increasing cases of child abuse.
Moses Opio, the district probation and welfare department officer says that many cases of abuse like child negligence, corporal punishment and defilement among others were perpetrated mainly by family members such as parents and relatives and the community.
He attributes the abuse to parental negligence. According to Opio, they have registered more than 100 cases of child abuse since this year began.
Seventy of these are defile cases from Abongomola, Aduku, and Inomo sub-counties. He says that they are working closely with parents, local leaders, police and different Civil Society Organisations to address the challenge.
He says that they are still facing the challenge of victims compromising with the suspects with the help of local authorities. Opio says that many cases go unreported, which gives room to the perpetrators to abuse more children.
However, Fred Okori, the general secretary of Aduku township cell dismissed the allegations. Okori attributed the surge in child abuse cases to poverty and ignorance. He cited an incident over the weekend when they rescued and handed over a 14-year-old child from Abongomola sub county to Kwania central police station that was found loitering within the urban center late in the night after escaping from home.
“Most parents have abandoned their children due to failed marriages, the numbers in our community are on the surge and worst of all these kids are starving with no proper shelter and medical care at the expense of the clan leaders.”
According to Okori, his office registered 12 cases of child abuse between January and March this year compared to between July and September last year when they only registered 4 cases. He attributed the problem to the laxity of clan members in settling family disputes.
Geoffrey Otim, the Community Development Officer Aduku town council says that the entire town council recorded 13 cases of child abuse in January, 21 in February and 36 cases between March and April this year. He said they have already embarked on community sensitization programs to address the challenge.
The 1995 Constitution recognizes the rights of the child and specifically provides for children’s right to health, right to education, and right to protection from exploitation, however a significant numbers of parents have reportedly neglected these responsibilities.
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