Forcus on Our Children

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Uganda has signed and ratified so many conventions and treaties linked to the rights of children and- has a law in place known as The Children’s Act Cap 59 and of course the supreme Law of the land which is the 1995 Constitution all of which recognizes the status and rights of these children.
Much as that is the case; we feel little has been done by our Government as all the children centers are either in the hands of Non Government Organizations or individuals and groups; Mention them...Sanyu babies home, Nsambya Babies home and others. Kampiringisa is only juvenile offenders!

The people’s Development Party wants the public to join hands and at least continue to adopt many children from these homes.
We ask Ugandans to use the contraceptives in place in order to avoid unwanted pregnancies that result into abandoning children -many of them have been thrown in pit latrines and garbage places, we want this to stop.
We equally call upon charitable organizations; religious institutions to help more children and educate them about culture & morals.
The government of Uganda needs not to be informed that there’s a need to save our children. The Ministry of Gender must take this important.

Come 2011 when P.D.P gets into power, there many plans we have in respect for our children and therefore we hereby give hope to them;
We believe that all “people are created equal and endowered by there creator with certain inalienable rights;
Among these are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness “as American philosopher Thomas Jefferson stated.

For God and My Country

Kivumbi Earnest Benjamin
People’s Development Party National Coordinator.

SSEBANGA HAS HAS LEFT US WITH ALOT TO EXPLORE!

Enock Ssebanga, who became a poster-boy for child abuse when he was discovered, tortured and emaciated in a dog’s kennel, a decade ago, is dead. He was 21.

One of his guardians, Mr Rashid Luswa, said Ssebanga died at 11am yesterday after a long battle with leukaemia.

Ssebanga, then aged 12, came to national prominence in August 2000 when the Police, acting on a tip-off from neighbours, discovered what was left of the boy at his parents’ home in Kawempe, a city suburb.

Accused by his father and stepmother of stealing food and money, Ssebanga had been locked up without food for over two months and physically tortured.

His skeletal features were a grim testimony of both human cruelty and perseverance. His left arm had been broken in a beating and his body was covered in so many sores, the car seat had to be peppered with cushions as he was driven to Mulago Hospital.

Ssebanga’s case was not out of the ordinary; a Foundation for Human Rights Report from that year lists several children who were physically and emotionally abused by their parents and guardians. Yet the photo of an emaciated Ssebanga that was published, and the dog life he had been subjected to, captured the nation’s mood and helped draw attention to child abuse.

Ssebanga’s life soon moved from tragedy to hope.
Rev. Kefa Sempangi, who runs the African Foundation charity, soon adopted Ssebanga and oversaw his recuperation.

The malnourished Ssebanga in 2000

He put him back into school, first at Rookmaker Primary School in Mukono and later at Bethel Junior School where he finished primary school. In an interview with Daily Monitor earlier this year, Ssebanga, who was in senior two at Bethel Covenant College, spoke positively about his future dreams and appeared in fairly good health.

Yet hope was slowly turning back into tragedy. Two years ago, Ssebanga was diagnosed with leukaemia, a cancer that destroys the body’s blood-forming tissues, including bone marrow and the lymphatic system.

He soon started making frequent journeys to International Hospital Kampala and Hospice Makindye which managed terminal illnesses.

Three weeks ago, when this author met him in Hope Ward at International Hospital in Namuwongo, Ssebanga lay helplessly gasping for breath, had cough and his eyes were sunken.

He complained of pain around his hips and said the doctors had found him to be anaemic but his spirits remained high and he cracked jokes about how he hated the medicine but liked the young female doctor who was seeing him.

Positive living
Although he probably knew the terminal nature of his illness, Ssebanga remained positive. All he wanted to do, he said, his voice croaky from the pain and the medication, was to get well, leave the hospital and go play games on the computer back home.

Ssebanga was later readmitted to Bethel Children’s home in Namulanda along Entebbe Road.

Yesterday he got his wish to leave hospital but it was in a body bag and he was headed for the mortuary at Mulago, not home.

The cancerous cells in his body had finally done what his parents had tried and failed to do – kill his body – but nothing could ever kill the spirit of this boy from Kyebando.

The burial will take place on Monday at 2PM at Katulaga-Maya, off the Kampala-Masaka Road. The whereabouts of his father Charles Kayongo and stepmother Regina Nabakooza who were both sentenced to 18 years in jail for his torture.

Rest in Peace Brother.