Leaders in Kicwamba Sub County, Kabarole District, have warned parents against marrying off underage girls who become pregnant, saying the practice is contributing to rising cases of teenage pregnancies and school dropouts.
The warning follows concerns over increasing cases of school-going girls becoming pregnant and subsequently being withdrawn from school to enter early marriages.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of LC1 and LC2 chairpersons at Kicwamba Sub County headquarters, Kabarole District Councillor for Kicwamba, Francis Ahumuza Dauda, said the situation was worrying.
Ahumuza attributed the increasing school dropout rates among girls to parents who negotiate with families of boys responsible for impregnating their daughters, instead of reporting the cases to authorities.
He warned that the sub county leadership would take action against parents found facilitating or arranging marriages involving underage girls.
Reprting Cases
The Burahya County Member of Parliament, Joseph Mugenyi, urged newly sworn-in LC1 and LC2 chairpersons to promptly report cases of defilement and child marriage to police and higher authorities.
Mugenyi cautioned local leaders against settling defilement cases at the village or parish level, stressing that such cases should be handled in accordance with the law.
He also called upon parents to create time for their children, engage them in open parental discussions and encourage them to remain in school.
Meanwhile, the LC2 Chairperson for Kihondo Parish, Bwente Michael, said the community has made efforts to address cases of teenage pregnancies and defilement with support from Bantwana, a non-governmental organisation.
Bwente said the organisation has worked closely with police to ensure suspected perpetrators are arrested and taken through the legal process.