‘Iganga parents set daughters for defilers’

Nov 30, 2003

IGANGA resident district commissioner Francis Batinti has lashed out at parents who use their daughters as business ventures

By George Bita

IGANGA resident district commissioner Francis Batinti has lashed out at parents who use their daughters as business ventures.

“The problem seems to stem from the fact that most homes here have a minimum of 10 children, which makes it a burden for the parents when it comes to money-related issues,” he said.

Batinti was recently addressing parents, pupils and teachers of Mawagala Primary School in Bulamagi sub-county.

“Some parents turn a blind eye when their daughters get involved with rich men. They then have the men arrested by Police but before the alleged culprits appear in court, the very parents surprisingly show no more interest in the case,” he said.

Batinti said his office would follow-up all defilement cases to establish those involved in the racket.

He said the low numbers of pupils in upper primary classes was partly due to parents giving away their underage daughters to rich men.

Meanwhile, sources from Iganga Town Council Primary School said three pupils missed this year’s Primary Leaving Examinations due to pregnancy.

“Four girls from St. Mary Bukova Primary School missed the exams due to pregnancies. One of them, a 15-year-old, was destined to marry a 65-year-old man who offered the girl’s parents sh300,000.

Iganga district chairman Asuman Kyafu said he ordered the Police to arrest the old man on the day he was to be introduced to the girl’s family.

“Her headmaster, Michael Nalugoda, alerted me about this,” he said.

The old man is on the run.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});