By Leonard Kamugisha,
WAKISO
Government has instructed Community Development Officers (CDOs) and other local government leaders of Wakiso district to close all unlicensed children’s homes in their respective areas.
This follows reports that the majority of orphanages in the district do not have a certificate from the ministry of
Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD).
This decision was made after a meeting with local leaders in which it was established that over 20 babies and children homes in Wakiso are operating without licenses which is likely to result into negative consequences for children’s development.
An inspection conducted in 2017, found
that half of over 300 babies and children’s homes in Uganda were
not registered.
Speaking during the meeting, the State minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, said that closing the illegal home will ease the reduction of cases related to abuse of child rights.
The Wakiso District LC5 chairperson, Matia Lwanga Bwanika, told the minister that these illegal orphanages are allegedly owned by government officials and other people with high connections to the government. He said attempts by the district authorities to speak to the administration of these orphanages have remained futile.
“Whenever our team goes to inspect these orphanages, there are several calls that are made to different unknown people purported to be big people in the government,” Matia Lwanga Bwanika said.
He asked the central government to intervene and resolve this issue immediately.
