Karimojong parents engaging in the sale of their children will face legal consequences, as revealed in preliminary investigations. The Resident District Commissioner, Denis Okori, expressed concern during the Court Open day in Napak district about the high number of Karimojong children begging on Kampala’s streets.
Investigations showed that parents are negotiating with unscrupulous individuals in the capital to traffic their children. Okori disclosed that over 92% of street children originate from this district, with young girls being exposed to sexual and financial exploitation at an early age.
In Kampala, traffickers house these children and send them to work as street beggars daily. The demand is for each child to bring home at least 10,000 shillings, resulting in dealers earning about 1.5 million shillings weekly from this exploitation.
Efforts to rescue and reunite these children with their families have been hindered by parents, who are often the perpetrators. Okori called for support for mobile courts in remote areas to hold offenders accountable and create a deterrent against such activities.
Plans are underway to implement an educational program for rescued street children to provide rehabilitation through compulsory boarding schools, even during holidays.
The Court Open day, organized by the judiciary with support from the International Justice Mission and the Embassy of Ireland, focused on the theme: “Justice is Possible. Act Now to end violence against women and girls.” The event allowed community members to engage with formal justice system officials on court processes, with attendees including DPC Kennedy Akena, Chief Magistrate Abrahams Achok Moding, and Resident State Attorney Innocent Obale.
