In a Thursday parliamentary seating chaired by the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, the State Minister for Children Affairs Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi told legislators that the government’s decision to clamp down on illegal adoption centers was a result of increasing children on Kampala Streets. Nakiwala said the Gender Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana was directed to launch the operation in the next 14 days. “It’s resolved and I have instructed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender Mr. Pius Bigirimana in 14 working days to ensure that all non-licensed caretaker homes in Kampala are closed and the children evacuated and taken to the licensed homes which are right now vacant and we have established the numbers that can go into the fully established homes so that these children can have a shoulder to lean on. Because in the non-licensed homes, they are there permanently which is against the law. Because children are supposed to be held according to the care order for three years as you look for the parentage. What matters to a child is a right to parentage.” Nakiwala said the government had received numerous complaints of donors defrauded by conies in supporting the illegal adoption centers. “That these unlicensed homes are the homes that take these children to the streets in a way of getting money and writing more proposals. But we cherish, there are those that are on route to approval because we have told them the regulations and they have adhered.”

Kampala continues to get street children despite interventions from city authorities and the civil society. The problem is furthered by finger-pointing between the Gender Ministry and KCCA on who is responsible for the problem. Government is also concerned about the rising number of parents disowning their children. “I have testimonies from house girls, I have testimonies from even young children in secondary schools. They have been abused by very credible and important men in this country that is why I come out to ensure that we can all together build a block to ensure that the mothers of this countries are protected.”