Family & Parenting
Govt asked to address rising single motherhood
Gashaija argued that the phenomenon has partly contributed to social disorder.
Govt asked to address rising single motherhood
By: Dedan Kimathi, Journalist @New Vision
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Entebbe Municipality lawmaker Stephen Shyaka Gashaija has asked the Government to address the rising trend of single motherhood, commonly known as Nakyeyombekedde in Luganda.
He argued that the phenomenon has partly contributed to social disorder.
Shyaka made the plea on September 1, 2026, during a meeting between Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Human Rights Committee and officials from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), led by Simon Mulongo and Mercy Faith Lakisa.
The duo was responding to recommendations of the committee regarding the Annual Report of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) 2025 on the state of human rights and freedoms in the country.
“There is a challenge we have of single mothers. The rate of single mothers is so appalling that the children are now left to whom it may concern. I would like the Ministry to see how to address the root cause of this problem. We need to identify how many single mothers we have and how many children are generated from single mothers,” Shyaka contended.
“We need to look at the childcare. Because if there is a machine that is producing all these children that is producing children and we can’t identify what the causes are, we are going to keep moving in a cycle. We have a challenge of street children. They are all over the streets; I don’t know whether someone collects them and dumps them on the streets or they find their way,” he wondered.
Working parents cautioned
Earlier, labour and industrial relations state minister Simon Mulongo had cautioned working parents against spending too little time with their children, warning that the pursuit of money at the expense of their children’s development was worrying.
“We need to look at the childcare. Because if there is a machine that is producing all these children that is producing children and we can’t identify what the causes are, we are going to keep moving in a cycle. We have a challenge of street children. They are all over the streets; I don’t know whether someone collects them and dumps them on the streets or they find their way,” he wondered.
Working parents cautioned
Earlier, labour and industrial relations state minister Simon Mulongo had cautioned working parents against spending too little time with their children, warning that the pursuit of money at the expense of their children’s development was worrying.
“When we get assignments like this from our communities to be Members of Parliament, we become too busy to even take care of our children. In the end, children come into contact with certain behaviours of other kids and may be derailed. As such, it is very important that we do certain things, for example, to be watching our children, talking to them, communicating with them, enable them to be able to respond to our love and care. Without necessarily giving away the need to be very firm with them,” Mulongo advised.
“Studies have been done by some institutions that show children in schools in central and eastern Uganda. They did survey 1,833 and found that 6.2% are actually involved in substance abuse. That is just a pointer,” he cited.
Adding that positive parenting requires parents to raise their children in a manner where they understand and communicate with one another.
“I have a problem: I was working in outside stations even away from home, and I didn’t quite understand my children. I think even some of us here could have the same problem. It is very important that it starts with us, as we also project the message to the other families wherever they are,” Mulongo implored.
Commenting on the matter at hand, Col. Christine Nekesa (UPDF MP) said, “Of late, many children have moved away from the normal norm of children. Because they spend most of the time at school and have working parents who don’t have time to attend to their needs. At times, they are left with caretakers then some are left on their own."
"What the parents know is providing basic needs, then they miss out on training them and many other things. And they end up being influenced by peer pressure from friends and fellow students and the community where they live. Because if you are a parent who is renting in a slum, your child’s behaviour is influenced by the surroundings,” she submitted.
“Studies have been done by some institutions that show children in schools in central and eastern Uganda. They did survey 1,833 and found that 6.2% are actually involved in substance abuse. That is just a pointer,” he cited.
Adding that positive parenting requires parents to raise their children in a manner where they understand and communicate with one another.
“I have a problem: I was working in outside stations even away from home, and I didn’t quite understand my children. I think even some of us here could have the same problem. It is very important that it starts with us, as we also project the message to the other families wherever they are,” Mulongo implored.
Commenting on the matter at hand, Col. Christine Nekesa (UPDF MP) said, “Of late, many children have moved away from the normal norm of children. Because they spend most of the time at school and have working parents who don’t have time to attend to their needs. At times, they are left with caretakers then some are left on their own."
"What the parents know is providing basic needs, then they miss out on training them and many other things. And they end up being influenced by peer pressure from friends and fellow students and the community where they live. Because if you are a parent who is renting in a slum, your child’s behaviour is influenced by the surroundings,” she submitted.