Stop overnight prayers â€" MP
May 11, 2010
THE Jinja district Woman MP, Ruth Tuma, has called for the banning of overnight prayers. She said the prayers were one of the channels through which HIV/AIDS was rapidly spreading.
By Esther Mukyala and Charles Kakamwa
THE Jinja district Woman MP, Ruth Tuma, has called for the banning of overnight prayers. She said the prayers were one of the channels through which HIV/AIDS was rapidly spreading.
“Girls are coerced and others are intoxicated and end up having sex with the so-called brothers. Sometimes the culprits are church leaders. “Local governments should pass bylaws to guide night prayers and culprits should be arrested and prosecuted,†she said.
Tuma was speaking at celebrations to mark the World AIDS Orphans Day at Busoga Square on Friday. Phoebe Education Fund for AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children organised the ceremony.
The theme was “Do not neglect us, hear our voices and put as first in the fight against AIDS for we are the future of tomorrowâ€.
Tuma said about 2.5 million children in Uganda are orphans due to HIV/AIDS. She added that this year, the number of orphaned children was anticipated to reach 100 million the world over.
She warned against having multiple sexual partners and cross-generational sex. Tuma also warned the youth against engaging in pre-marital sex and urged them to take tests before they get married.
She commended grandmothers for looking after orphans and suggested that they be mobilised under a body through which their views can be channelled to Parliament.
THE Jinja district Woman MP, Ruth Tuma, has called for the banning of overnight prayers. She said the prayers were one of the channels through which HIV/AIDS was rapidly spreading.
“Girls are coerced and others are intoxicated and end up having sex with the so-called brothers. Sometimes the culprits are church leaders. “Local governments should pass bylaws to guide night prayers and culprits should be arrested and prosecuted,†she said.
Tuma was speaking at celebrations to mark the World AIDS Orphans Day at Busoga Square on Friday. Phoebe Education Fund for AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children organised the ceremony.
The theme was “Do not neglect us, hear our voices and put as first in the fight against AIDS for we are the future of tomorrowâ€.
Tuma said about 2.5 million children in Uganda are orphans due to HIV/AIDS. She added that this year, the number of orphaned children was anticipated to reach 100 million the world over.
She warned against having multiple sexual partners and cross-generational sex. Tuma also warned the youth against engaging in pre-marital sex and urged them to take tests before they get married.
She commended grandmothers for looking after orphans and suggested that they be mobilised under a body through which their views can be channelled to Parliament.