Government to spend Shs3 billion to get children off streets

Some of the Karamojong children who live in Katwe II Parish, Makindye Division. Photo by Eve Muganga  

By Eve Muganga

ENTEBBE- The State Minister Youth and Children Affairs, Ms Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi has said that her ministry is expecting Parliament to approve a Shs3 billion supplementary budget that would
be used to get children off Kampala streets.

‘’Our supplementary budget of Shs3.4 billion is already in Parliament. Within one month, we expect to receive this money to buy cameras which will be put on streets to help us allocate where all these children are,” she said.

She said operation will involve the ministries of Disaster Preparedness, Internal Affairs, Local Government, Police, Kampala Capital City Authority among other partners, to address the problem  of street children.

She said that two years ago, she made similar effort and for about 67 days, there were no street children who, unfortunately returned because there was no plan to sustain the struggle.

She was on Friday speaking during the Entebbe Municipality Women’s Day celebrations.

Ms Nakiwala said there are about 10,000 street children in Uganda and 6,000 of these are found on the streets of Kampala and Wakiso.

“We shall work with communities to make sure that those numbers reduce. Sometimes these children are trafficked and some are picked from the streets and taught how to become better street beggars,” She said.

However, the chairman of the Karamojong Community in Katwe II Parish, Makindye Division, Mr Michael Keem said they are willing to go back to Karamoja if the government could give them start-up money to create businesses.

“Government has asked them to return to Karamoja but they have no sustainable source of income. This is part of the reason why they don’t want to leave Kampala,” he said. "Many of our brothers and sisters have been taken back home but they return to Kampala after a few days. It’s not just taking them back. What have you done for us in the villages in Karamoja where you want us to go?”

He said Karamoja region lacks basic social services and other the infrastructure that can help people earn a living.

“We can do cattle keeping. Let government give us cows and see if we shall remain in Kampala,” he said.