The trafficking of children from neighbouring districts into Kabale District is reportedly on the increase.
Police statistics show that between June 2010 and to date at least 15 trafficked children have been rescued by police and non-government organizations in Kabale.
The highest numbers of trafficked children are from Kibaale district, where there are many migrant Bakiga, the dorminant people in Kigezi. Kibale is followed by Kamwenge in Tooro, where there are also many Bakiga migrants.
Leonard Byamugisha of Children Rescue Voluntary Organization says most of the traffickers are business people, politicians and powerful people whom he did not name.
He complains that several cases have been reported to the police but nothing has been done to scale down the situation.
Byamugisha says a few culprits are apprehended because in most cases the victims parents and guardians are persuaded with incentives like money to drop the cases.
Byamukama says at least 10 of the trafficked children have been rehabilitated and five are at still undergoing care at the centre.
Charles Ssembabulidde, the Kabale District Police Commander, agrees with Byamugisha. He says some of the culprits are charged in courts and others negotiate their way out.
The most recent case of trafficking involves a 15-year-old boy Nelson Tabaro from from Bujaja cell in Koko sub-county, Kibale district.
Tabaro did his Primary Leaving Examinations last year at Pongo primary school and scored 22 aggregates.
His poor parents Enock Kabalebe and Sophia Namara reportedly told Tabaro that he could not continue with studies because they have no money.
Early this year they negotiated with Sharon that she takes him to work for her as a house help in Kampala and that in turn she would pay his tuition fees.
Police say instead Sharon took Tabaro to Nyabikoni village in Kabale and handed him the task of grazing her cows..
Life became harder for Tabaro and he decided to report the matter to police. He is currently at Children Rescue Voluntary Center in Kabale town.
Byamugisha says there are many cases that are not reported, adding that if the police and other stakeholders do not check the situation it may be spiral out of control.
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