The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Church of Uganda Archbishop Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu has criticized the rampant cases of incest reported in different parts of the country.
“There are fathers, uncles, and cousin brothers in our families who have defiled their daughters and sisters and impregnated them. This is one of the most discouraging pieces of news I have heard in a long time. To those girls, who are now mothers, as a church, we want you to know that we love you because God loves you, and he loves your baby. Always remember, because he lives, you can face tomorrow,” Dr. Kaziimba said in his Easter message at All Saints’ Cathedral Nakasero on Wednesday morning.
He appealed to the perpetrators to come out and confess the shameful act instead of trying to protect themselves from shame.
The Archbishop’s statement stems from recent statistics issued by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development indicating that cases of fathers defiling their daughters had more than doubled in the last year.
According to the statistics, 200 of the 1,682 cases of defilement registered in 2020 through the Ministry’s child helpline were committed by fathers against their own daughters. This is an increase from 90 cases reported in 2019. The Ministry also registered 175 complaints of defilement and sexual abuse involving immediate family members like brothers, uncles, grandparents, stepfathers, aunts and others.
Kaziimba says that fathers, uncles and brothers are supposed to protect their daughters and sisters and not sexually abuse them. “This is the way of the Bible, but it is also our culture. This collapse of our families is why I have repeatedly called upon us to consider how to support the boy child. Local churches and communities need to take initiatives and not wait for some programme to reach your village,” he adds.
The Archbishop also appealed to the government to further relax the Covid-19 preventive measures and allow children to attend church for at least one hour, saying that the young generation has faced a lot of challenges and abuses.
“I encourage the government to lift the restrictions on children coming to church. Just as children are returning to school, the church is very ready to receive our children for only one hour per week in an organized way that upholds the standard operating procedures. Our children need to be in church with their families,” the Archbishop appealed.
Dr. Kaziimba however said that he was grateful that this year’s Easter comes at a time when some Christians are allowed to gather in their church buildings to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
Dr. Kaziimba appealed to the government to follow through with its commitment to find those who have been abducted and return them to their families.
Different families across the country have since the start of the 2021 election process reported missing persons and abductions carried out by plain-clothed personnel using cars known as drones.
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