FATHER'S DAY | HOMES | CHILDREN 

KAMPALA - The number of fathers deserting their homes to the suffering of children and wives has increased according to Police

As the world marks Fathers’ Day 2021, the Directorate of Child and Family Protection at Uganda Police has expressed concern over the growing cases of child desertion by their fathers.

Francis Ogweng, a child and protection officer at the Police headquarters Naguru says men are abandoning their homes due to competing interests with their wives on top of many men growing lazy to tender for their families.

“I want to call on fathers to be responsible if you cannot take care of children, please do not produce. If you cannot buy food, if you cannot pay school fees, why do you produce?”

In 2020, according to Police, 2687 men deserted their homes while fathers who abuse and tortured their children were 1746.

“It’s absurd that men instead of working hard to make their homes comfortable, have turned themselves into being deserters.”

The enormous task of securing the welfare and the well-being of the family falls on fathers culturally. However, Covid-19 has made it more complicated given that it has come along with serious social-economic challenges.

“We appeal to fathers to join hands with male associations and discuss issues as men to see how we can correct this mess as men,” Ogweng said.

Fathers’ Day in Uganda was adopted in 2016 by the Men’s Forum Against Domestic Violence in Uganda and marked on every June 21, has for the last six years gained prominence in highlighting the role of a father in parenting and family building. And this year’s theme is; “Being a father a midst Covid-19 era.”

However, Police say the Day should also be used to condemn in strongest terms a few fathers who are grossly violating their own families.

According to the Force, in 2020 over 200 fathers defiled their own daughters compared to 90 who did in 2019; some impregnating them and infecting them with HIV/AIDS.

“Therefore on the day like this, we need to condemn such few fathers in strongest terms and the media should follow-up to establish whether they are still in their families or they are ii in prison,” Ogweng said.

According to UNICEF, over 10% of young girls in Uganda were being married off mainly by their fathers purportedly causing the country financial loss of $3b since the girls are not productive and dealing with afterward effects.

However, the programmes manager at the Men’s Forum Against Domestic Violence in Uganda, Robert Ndawula says amidst global pandemic, the positive role played by fathers in fighting the spread of Covid-19 as well as providing adequate social protection and care to their families should be recognized.

“We remember with humble gratitude those fathers that have given up their lives in serve of the others. And we shall use this Day to remember those family members who have succumbed to Covid-19,” Ndawula said.

Ruben Muhabuzi, a fathers’ activist says men should re-assert their role by among others by ensuring that they are in spotlight.

“I want to appeal to fathers to ensure that they pay school fees themselves at schools, buy clothes for their children and food to write-off claims that fathers do not look after their children,” Muhabuzi said.