Uganda Police Still Stuck with Nine Children after Martyrs’ Day

Summary

• The police have reported that 38 cases of missing children were reported following the June 3 Martyrs’ Day celebrations in Namugongo. Out of these cases, 29 children have been reunited with their families, while nine children remain under police custody.

---

KAMPALA, (Examiner) – Police have disclosed that they are currently faced with a situation involving nine children who were left behind in Namugongo following the annual June 3 Martyrs’ Day celebrations. According to Police spokesperson Fred Enanga, a total of 38 cases of missing children aged between 2 and 13 were reported to the police’s child and family protection unit.

Out of the 38 missing children, 29 have been successfully reunited with their parents. The remaining nine children, comprised of three girls and six boys, are currently under the custody of the police. Enanga highlighted that at the Anglican Shrine, four cases of missing children were reported, but all of them have been safely reunited with their families.

Enanga assured the public that the police will continue to maintain a presence on the ground until all the remaining children are effectively reunited with their parents. During a visit to the police child and family protection unit tent at the catholic shrine, it was observed that only five children were still stranded while four had already been taken back to their families.

Among the children still in need of assistance are 13-year-old Deo Kasanda, 12-year-old Denis Ssebalu, 8-year-old Betty Nanyondo, and 4-year-old Aloysius Lukyamuzi. The fifth child declined to disclose his name to the authorities. These children are currently receiving care and support from the police while efforts are being made to locate and reunite them with their families.

The police estimates that over 3.5 million people attended the Martyrs’ Day celebrations in Wakiso District. Enanga shared that approximately 2.5 million people gathered at Namugongo Catholic Shrines, while the attendance at the Anglican site ranged from 600,000 to 800,000 individuals.

It is evident that the large crowds and busy event environment contributed to the challenges faced by some families in ensuring the safety and security of their children during the Martyrs’ Day celebrations. Police authorities are working diligently to address the situation and ensure that all children are safely returned to their loved ones. The community’s cooperation and support are crucial in facilitating the reunification process for these children.

“Our joint intelligence components, who conduct research on persons entering sites, count people while entering these major events. We also use certain patterns while counting numbers; we come up with an estimate and then multiply it with the number of areas to come up with the population,” he further explained the count.

22 detained
Meanwhile, Enanga revealed that celebrations at both sites were successful with no serious offences reported.

“We only received petty crimes of people stealing phones and bags. We arrested 22 suspects for smoking marijuana. Some people suspected to be under the influence of drugs like alcohol were arrested,” he noted.