Remand home runs short of money, threatens to stop receiving children

Authorities at Gulu remand home have threatened to stop receiving and accommodating juvenile offenders from districts that have failed to heed to calls for support to the centre.

The in charge of the facility, Joseph Kilama says in 2010, district probation officers, Chief Administrative Officers, and LCV chairpersons agreed at a meeting organized by ministry of gender, labour and social development to support Gulu remand home.

He says they are facing difficulty in running the facility single handedly.

Kilama says the leaders from all the districts in Acholi and parts of Lango region agreed to contribute sh600,000 per quarter to run the remand home, but that resolution has not been fulfilled by any of these districts.

When contacted, Jackson Omona, Kitgum LC5 chairman said he cannot respond to this issue since he is still in Kampala for a meeting.

Leonard Opiyo, the Agago district chairman, also said he could not easily comment since he has to get clarification from his predecessors on this particular matter.

Michael Lakony, the Amuru LC5 chairman says he has not received any official communication from authorities of Gulu remand home about the contribution, while Patrick Okello Oryema, the Nwoya district LC5 chairman acknowledged to the agreement, but says authority at the remand home needs to write to Nwoya formally before they can release the money.

According to Kilama, the remand home currently has 49 juveniles with 30 from Gulu, seven from Amuru, six from Nwoya, three from Lamwo, two from Pader and one from Kitgum.