Police in collaboration with Kampala Capital Authority (KCCA)have commenced investigations to interrogate why Street children have persisted on streets despite continued efforts to remove and empower them.
On January 11,2024 KCCA with the help of Police mounted an operation in they removed a total of 559 children including their mothers from all the streets of Kampala where the majority were Karamojongo and they were taken to Masulita children’s home in Wakiso District which is owned by UWESO for rehabilitation.
The will be scrutinized to sort out those who are adult mother to be committed to courts of law well some of the children will be taken to Koblin another home in Napaka district for rehabilitation.
KCCA Director Gender department addressing journalist at City hall just after the operation
The Director KCCA Department of Gender Shira Birungi Gandi who also participated in this exercise informed Dailystarnewsug.com that challenge of street children has persisted because there are individuals this as economic gain activity.
Mrs. Birungi said the information received recently indicate these people pick children from their homes and trafficked them to Kampala to collect money form from which they give a portion to victims to take to their parents.
“Children are brought to streets by some individuals who even train them with tactics to go and stone cars, threaten people in traffic jam when trying to get money. Big children grab bags from women, move with bodaboda while grabbing mobile phones and others some of them engage in activities which are against the security of Uganda government.’’ Birungi said.
She further said to avert such acts, KCCA is working in collaboration with police’s senior detectives to ensure that we get all the culprits behind such unlawful activity.
The Director Gender also revealed that KCCA has a training center in Kabalagala, Makndye Division were they train and equip those children who can’t continue with formal education with craftsman skills as well as teaching them business managerial skill and after words the authority gives them some startup capital curtsy of UNDP. Apart from this KCCA links such children to government development programs like youth livelihood.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Onyango said that removing the getting children out streets is a mandate of KCCA and police just gives support to rescue them. It also helps in investigations to find out who are the individuals using these children for economic gains.
By George Bukenya