Marijuana, fuel sniffing blamed for Gender based violence in Busia
Jun 29, 2017
GBV includes physical violence, rape and sexual assault, child and forced marriages, female genital mutilation, human trafficking, and the denial of resources and services to families.
The rampant occurrence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence(SGBV) is partly a result of marijuana and fuel sniffing among men in Busia district, a report by MPs on Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), has stated.
GBV includes physical violence, rape and sexual assault, child and forced marriages, female genital mutilation, human trafficking, and the denial of resources and services to families.
Joshua Wandera the Masinya sub county chairperson told MPs that marijuana growing is rampant in the sub counties of Masinya, Buhehe, Masaba , Dabani, Lumino Busitema, Lumino, Majanji, and Masafu where the vice has become an income generating activity for the household basics.
This was revealed to legislators who subscribe to UWOPA, who were on their legislative role to sensitize the communities in Busia and Tororo districts on the Domestic Violence, and Prevention of Trafficking in of human laws.
Parliament passed The Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Bill and the Domestic Violence Bills into laws in 2009. Both laws seeks to protect the victims and provides for the punishment of perpetrators of the crime of domestic violence.
"Many youth in Busia district are often found freely consuming marijuana, a vice that may lead to commit crimes against their families, either physical or physiological abuse of their spouses or children." Wandera explained.
Wandera said un identified persons from Kenya provide funds to Ugandans to grow marijuana, after harvesting, they funders smuggle it to different markets worldwide through the porous border points.
The Bukedi region police publicist Sowali Kamulya said since January this year Busia district tops in the eastern region with over 138 GBV cases , 72 cases In Budaka, 50 cases in Tororo, 21 cases in Butereja 16 cases in Kibuku.
"Some homesteads have abandoned growing of food crops which partly attributes to lack of food in the homesteads which has resulted in family break ups because of the money being mismanaged by husbands." Wandera added.
The 2011 Uganda Police Force report put GBV statistics at 58 per cent in northern Uganda, 60 per cent in Karamoja, 56 per cent in western Uganda, 24 per cent in central Uganda, 54 per cent of Internally Displace People, 41 per cent in Kampala region and 74 per cent in eastern Uganda.
The Police force, security operatives, cultural and religious, leaders, local government officials, immigration officers, health workers attended, the function.