In a bid to empower girl child education and also protect girls against teenage pregnancies Namayingo Deputy Resident District Commissioner (DRDC) Trevor Solomon Baleke has urged parents to guard their children from pornographic content
Mr. Baleke who was on Thursday July 13, 2023 giving a keynote address as chief guest at the belated celebrations to mark the Day of the African Child held at Bukewa primary school in Buhemba subcounty says parents must regulate what their children access on phones and TV to prevent them from watching pornographic content.
DRDC APPLAUDS DISTRICT BOSSES FOR BANNING TRANSNIGHT DANCE AT FUNERALS
“This morning before coming here, I had an interaction with your local leaders and other stakehoders to brief me about the issues in this area. I am aware this is the sub-county with the highest cases of defilement on the mainland of the district.
I am told this is the only Sub-county where funerals are turned into disco at night and attended by girls and boys. This now, is stopped. We shall impound the music system and arrest the organizers,” warned Mr. Baleke.
Earlier on, the LCV chairman, Mr. Ronald Sanya had blamed the residents of Buhemba for turning funerals into fun by merrymaking even before the deceased is buried.
“Are we normal? Really why should a mentally sound person merry make when another person has died? And this is mainly practiced here in Buhemba sub-county,” Sanya Said.
The LCV chairman also encouraged children from poor families to stick to education as it was the only means by which they would change their family background.
“In primary I wore a torn pair of shorts and some pupils laughed at me. When I join S.1, I was given my sister’s browse instead of a shirt but here I am in suits and as chairman LCV. You too can make it,” remarked Mr. Sanya amidst thunderous applause.
DRDC ON PDM
The Deputy RDC used the occasion to as well preach about the Parish Development Model (PDM).
He said he had received reports from the local leaders that the program aimed at improving the livelihood of people was being hampered by money lenders who confiscate people’s National Identity Cards which are a requirement for PDM.
Stop it
Mr. Baleke warned that it was an illegality for money lenders to confiscate National Identity cards, bank ATM and passports of borrowers as collateral for loans.
“It is violation of the laws that govern them [money lenders] and it infringes on the privacy of borrower,” he said Mr. Baleke
According to the 2016 Tier 4 Microfinance Institution and Money Lenders Act, Baleke says, the use of bank ATM cards, warrant books, passports and national Identity cards as collateral is prohibited.
“Therefore inform those money lenders that we are saying, they should return people’s National Identity Cards with immediate effect so that wananchi benefit the PDM third pillar, short of that, we shall use the law to catch up with them,” he said.
“Let them demand for other items as collateral but not a National ID or Passport which are a property of the Republic of Uganda. If someone has no collateral and you can’t trust them, please don’t lend to them.”
Don’t neglect children with disabilities
The Deputy RDC also urged parents not to neglect their children with disabilities.
He informed parents that government sponsors 64 university students with disabilities every year and was planning to increase the number to 320.
He stressed that the ministry of education was advocating and lobbying for scholarships in private universities, and sports programmes for students with disabilities.
“Therefore take them (students with disabilities) to school and when they pass their UACE, we shall put them on government sponsorship,” said the Deputy RDC.
Baleke handed a donation of Shs. 50,000 to a pupil with disabilities at Bukewa primary school.
