Woman Held Over Street Children
Apr 27, 2003
THE Police in Mbarara recently arrested a Canadian woman after municipal council authorities accused her of inciting former street children to abandon school and join her charitable organisation.
By K. Muhanga
THE Police in Mbarara recently arrested a Canadian woman after municipal council authorities accused her of inciting former street children to abandon school and join her charitable organisation.
The district officer in charge of criminal investigations, Jonathan Edoku, said Patricia Kokura Anna was found with four children whom she had picked from Mbarara Pentecost Primary School and confined at her home in Ntare village.
“We are investigating her. We shall take her to court and charge her,†Edoku said.
He said Kokura had failed to produce any documents showing that the organisation was genuine.
Some of the children said they had been told they would be taken to better schools.
Two months ago, the municipal authorities gathered all school age-going street children and took them to schools.
The deputy mayor, Hajjat Nuriat Musoke, said they are injecting over sh2m per term in the project.
“You must be jailed or deported. This is frustrating the Universal Primary Education program,†she told Kokura.
Kokura said she was being victimised.
“I started the street kids project. They have seen it taking root and want to hijack it,†she said.
The municipal education officer, Charles Turyahikayo, said this was not true.
THE Police in Mbarara recently arrested a Canadian woman after municipal council authorities accused her of inciting former street children to abandon school and join her charitable organisation.
The district officer in charge of criminal investigations, Jonathan Edoku, said Patricia Kokura Anna was found with four children whom she had picked from Mbarara Pentecost Primary School and confined at her home in Ntare village.
“We are investigating her. We shall take her to court and charge her,†Edoku said.
He said Kokura had failed to produce any documents showing that the organisation was genuine.
Some of the children said they had been told they would be taken to better schools.
Two months ago, the municipal authorities gathered all school age-going street children and took them to schools.
The deputy mayor, Hajjat Nuriat Musoke, said they are injecting over sh2m per term in the project.
“You must be jailed or deported. This is frustrating the Universal Primary Education program,†she told Kokura.
Kokura said she was being victimised.
“I started the street kids project. They have seen it taking root and want to hijack it,†she said.
The municipal education officer, Charles Turyahikayo, said this was not true.