Parenting...
Aug 10, 2010
<b>“We can do more to keep children safeâ€</b><br>The last two years have seen an increase in cases of child abuse, murder and what has been termed ‘child sacrifice or ritual murder’.
“We can do more to keep children safeâ€
The last two years have seen an increase in cases of child abuse, murder and what has been termed ‘child sacrifice or ritual murder’.
The climax was the case in which business tycoon Kato Kajubi was charged with the murder of a 12-year-old boy, Kasirye, and later acquitted.
Many other children have been attacked or killed and the Police are still investigating some of the cases.
Some children have been found dead while others were lucky enough to survive after their captors allegedly found them ‘unsuitable for ritual sacrifice’.
A human rights researcher says: “100 children were reported missing in Uganda, and 80% of them were reported in Kampala, the most modernised place. More than 25 ritual murders involving children were reported in 2006 while 260 cases of child abduction were reported in the same year. In 2009, 18 cases of child sacrifice were reported but only 15 were investigated. “
The most recent case of child abuse a one-and-half-year-old toddler, Kham Kakama, who was killed by abductors. Three people are facing murder charges in connection to Kakama’s death.
It is surprising that amid the glaring threats, parents still continue to turn a deaf ear to the calls to strengthen child protection. As I drive from home every morning, I meet many young children sauntering to school by themselves. Most of them pass through secluded places where a strategic offender can strike without anybody coming to these innocent children’s rescue.
Many children below 10 years are entrusted to take children to school yet the risks from being run over by Kampala’s mad drivers and cyclists are very high.
There are also dangers of crossing the busy roads where cars struggle for space. Many drivers hardly respect crossing points and many children have either died or sustained injuries in such situations. Apart from motorists and cyclists, there are other dangers such as sudden stampedes, stray dogs, street children and mad people, all which are potential dangers to a lone child.
In the era of bomb blasts, children are at a higher risk as they can pick and play with any objects placed in their paths.
Child abduction for ransom may be the next in-thing child abusers are planning. Kakama’s death was followed by the abduction of another child who, fortunately, was recovered by the Police before a ransom of sh200m was paid.
Other dangers include those children entrusted to boda boda cyclists; many have been raped or abused by the people they have been entrusted to.
A little extra care and self-sacrifice could go a long way to save a life threatened by any of the above. The writer is a parent and child advocate
The last two years have seen an increase in cases of child abuse, murder and what has been termed ‘child sacrifice or ritual murder’.
The climax was the case in which business tycoon Kato Kajubi was charged with the murder of a 12-year-old boy, Kasirye, and later acquitted.
Many other children have been attacked or killed and the Police are still investigating some of the cases.
Some children have been found dead while others were lucky enough to survive after their captors allegedly found them ‘unsuitable for ritual sacrifice’.
A human rights researcher says: “100 children were reported missing in Uganda, and 80% of them were reported in Kampala, the most modernised place. More than 25 ritual murders involving children were reported in 2006 while 260 cases of child abduction were reported in the same year. In 2009, 18 cases of child sacrifice were reported but only 15 were investigated. “
The most recent case of child abuse a one-and-half-year-old toddler, Kham Kakama, who was killed by abductors. Three people are facing murder charges in connection to Kakama’s death.
It is surprising that amid the glaring threats, parents still continue to turn a deaf ear to the calls to strengthen child protection. As I drive from home every morning, I meet many young children sauntering to school by themselves. Most of them pass through secluded places where a strategic offender can strike without anybody coming to these innocent children’s rescue.
Many children below 10 years are entrusted to take children to school yet the risks from being run over by Kampala’s mad drivers and cyclists are very high.
There are also dangers of crossing the busy roads where cars struggle for space. Many drivers hardly respect crossing points and many children have either died or sustained injuries in such situations. Apart from motorists and cyclists, there are other dangers such as sudden stampedes, stray dogs, street children and mad people, all which are potential dangers to a lone child.
In the era of bomb blasts, children are at a higher risk as they can pick and play with any objects placed in their paths.
Child abduction for ransom may be the next in-thing child abusers are planning. Kakama’s death was followed by the abduction of another child who, fortunately, was recovered by the Police before a ransom of sh200m was paid.
Other dangers include those children entrusted to boda boda cyclists; many have been raped or abused by the people they have been entrusted to.
A little extra care and self-sacrifice could go a long way to save a life threatened by any of the above. The writer is a parent and child advocate