The City Hall Court in Kampala has sentenced more than 100 Karamojong mothers to one month of community service for letting their children beg on the streets
The women, mostly teenage mothers were also sent to Napak District for rehabilitation. They were found guilty of letting their children beg on the streets.
The group was remanded to Luzira Maximum prison on January 30, 2024 following their arrest by KCCA law enforcement officers.
The officers gathered these mothers from different streets in the city during preparations for recent NAM and G77 + China conferences. They were taken to court and then to prison after saying they were not guilty.
When they appeared in court on Thursday, the mothers admitted their guilt. They asked for forgiveness and requested to go back to Napak with their children to start a new life. The court agreed to this request.
The judge noted that although sending children to beg is a big problem, he considered the mothers’ difficult situations. Some are widows and have no income to support their children.
Even though the law allows for a maximum jail term of six months, the judge decided to send them back to Napak for rehabilitation and community service. He warned them not to send their children to beg again. If they don’t complete their punishment, they will be jailed for one month.
This is not the first time Karamojong mothers have been convicted for this. In previous cases, similar punishments were given by the court.
In 2022, the KCCA passed a law to protect children. This law makes it illegal to send children to beg or to let them roam the streets selling things. It also bans selling alcohol to children. Breaking this law can result in jail time or a fine.
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