Henry Mushabe, the Senior Probation Officer in Mbarara City, says the children who only speak Swahili were brought to the city by a Tanzanian national only identified as Marengo who lied to their parents, promising to take care of them.
Police in the Rwizi region have rescued two children who were allegedly trafficked. The children aged 10 years were rescued while begging on the streets in Mbarara City.
Henry Mushabe, the Senior Probation Officer in Mbarara
City, says the children who only speak Swahili were brought to the city by a Tanzanian national only identified as Marengo who lied to their parents, promising to take care of them.
//Cue in: “Tutungire abaana babiri…
Cue out: …nabarema okushabe esente.”//
According to Mushabe, the number of street children in the city has
increased.
He adds that they register four children each month who have been abandoned on the streets, and others in the hospitals.
/Cue in: “ekikwatirine nabaana bato…
Cue out: …ninga aha muhanda.”//
Without
giving details the Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson Samson Kasasira said that a case of child trafficking against Marengo has been registered at
Mbarara Central Police station.
Rebecca Mulema, the Director of Living Ministries Babies
Home, says that while abandoning children is mostly caused by domestic violence, child trafficking is a result of poverty.
//Cue in: “child abandonment…
Cue out: …that is trafficking.”//
She urged local council leaders to implement by-laws and
ordinances to combat child trafficking and neglect.
John Kavigi, the City Councilor representing youth and
also the secretary of the social services committee, said that they are
aware of the increasing number of children on the streets and those who are
abandoned noting that they have started drafting an ordinance to help curb the vice.
