By Fred Muzaale
Mukono District is to host a Shillings 4billion rehabilitation centre, where victims of child sacrifice and sexual abuse are to undergo physical and psychosocial trauma therapy.to help them reintegrate back into normal life.
The four greater Mukono districts of Kayunga, Buikwe, Buvuma and Mukono are hotbeds of acts of human sacrifice with many shrines and witch doctors.
Construction of the rehabilitation centre is being undertaken by Kyampisi childcare ministries (KCM), a local non-government organization whose headquarters are based at Kyampisi village in Kyampisi Sub-county.
KCM aims at giving the vulnerable children of Uganda, physical, emotional, and spiritual springboards by striving to see an end to child sacrifice and trafficking in the country.
While commissioning the construction works of the centre, Justice Jane Frances Abodo, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), expressed dismay over the increasing acts of human sacrifice and sexual abuse in the country.
“I want to pledge to you that I will passionately handle these cases (child sacrifice and sexual abuse) and ensure that they are fast-tracked through special sessions, funds permitting,” Justice Abodo said.
She added, “I, however, encourage you (parents) to cooperate with the office of the DPP by attending court to testify in the cases,”
According to the 2013 Child Sacrifice and Mutilations Report, one child is killed for rituals every week.
The report indicates that people carry out human sacrifices to seek wealth, among other reasons.
While interacting with some of the parents and victims of child sacrifice at KCM offices, Justice Abodo broke down in tears after hearing their heart-breaking testimonies.
The visit at the centre, the DPP said, had helped her to interact with the victims and their parents to see the suffering they are going through.
Some of the victims lost their limbs while others had their private body parts cut off and some others are bed-ridden and can’t walk due to the cuts inflicted on them.
Peter Sewakiryanga, the KCM the executive director, says the rehabilitation facility whose construction is expected to be complete late next year, would have boarding, gym, counseling and sensory rooms, facilities among others.
“The facility will not only be used by Mukono and surrounding districts but it will serve the entire country. It will be the first of its kind in the country and will help us carry out comprehensive rehabilitation,” Sewakiryanga notes.
Currently, Sewakiryanga said, a total of 369 victims are undergoing rehabilitation at the centre. The current rehabilitation facility, he says is relatively small, forcing them to squeeze the victims.
“Most of the victims of child sacrifice and sexual abuse come from poor families. We want to change them completely through providing them with quality education,” the CEO says.
Sewakiryanga notes that they need multi-stakeholder partnerships in the fight against child sacrifice and applauded the DPP for being passionate in the fight against acts of human sacrifice.
Pater Bakaluba Mukasa, the Mukono district chairman, says the facility would help in restoring the lives of victims to normalcy.
“As government we have been lacking such an arrangement where victims can be well looked after. These victims need special care in terms of feeding, security and others, which has been lacking,” Bakaluba says.
He tasked the police to also put up such facilities at regional level.
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