Over 150 children taken off the streets in Kampala

Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) has rescued over 150 children from various streets of Kampala.

The operation was carried out on Wednesday by KCCA law enforcement team and the Uganda Police.

During the operation, a total of 13 suspected child traffickers were also arrested, and these will be taken to court for contravening the Child Protection Ordinance 2022.

This comes months after KCCA carried out a similar operation in which 700 children were rescued from the streets and 36 child traffickers convicted.

The children rescued in August 2022 were taken to Masulita Children’s home where they can live a childhood free from exploitation and abuse but also be rehabilitated.

Speaking about Wednesday’s operation, executive director of KCCA, Dorothy Kisaka said they have received good reports of the children in Masulita.

The children are healthy, they are being trained and rehabilitated. We are grateful to UWESO for providing the facility and the resources for this work,” Kisaka said.

She added,”We have made progress with the street children, but there is a lot more to be done. It’s steady progress!”

According to John Bosco Bashinyora, the head of Gender Directorate at KCCA, the operation was supported by three local Non-Governmental Organizations working under the Local Coalition Accelerator initiative.

The support included fuel equivalent to 720 litres for the bus, coaster, and pickup; meals for the children while in transit and facilitation for the rescue team.

Meanwhile, the children rescued from the street on Wednesday, have been transported to Kublin Youth Skilling Centre in Nepak, where they will undergo rehabilitation, tracing and reintegration with their families

KCCA says they will be carrying out more operations to bring to rescue the children from street life and also prosecute all those involved in trafficking and abusing children.