The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja has praised the Police for rescuing 14 girls who were held by a local non-governmental organization.
Workers MP, Hon Margaret Rwabushaija in July informed the House that she had got reports that young girls were being held and allegedly forced to to sleep with dogs in a home in Muyenga, a job they were to take on after being trafficked to European countries.
Nabbanja told Parliament that the Police rescued the 14 girls from Papaya guest holiday home in Muyenga.
“The Police handed them over to Uganda Network on Laws and Ethics and HIV/AIDS (UGANET), a gazetted facility, for safe custody and later handed over to their parents,” Nabbanja said.
Aged between 17 to 19 years, the girls were to be trafficked by a one Dorothy Ndagire using her local NGO called Moyo Project Uganda Chapter in collaboration with a UK based NGO.
Nabbanja made this revelation as she responded to MPs’ questions during the Prime Minister’s Time on Thursday, 26 August 2021. The House was chaired by Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
The Premier said that although girls were illegally detained, police confirmed that none of them slept with the dogs as earlier alleged and that only one was confirmed to have been sexually abused.
Parliament learnt that the suspect Dorothy Ndagire was arrested and a case of aggravated trafficking in children was opened against her.
The Chief Opposition Whip, Hon John Baptist Nambeshe said government must be alive to the mass unemployment and poverty which he said, creates an opportunity for traffickers.
“The trafficking in persons is because of the mass unemployment and because of Covid-19, most people lost their jobs; traffickers are taking advantage of the situation,” said Nambeshe.
Nambeshe called on the premier to update the country on the state of the economy and popularize the stimulus package, recommending that it should be distributed evenly.
