The eviction of Budukiro Children’s Agency by two UPDF soldiers has forced 22 former street children to return to the streets in Masaka Town. Last month, Kenneth Muhairwe and Andrew Kayende evicted Budukiro Children’s Agency from Maho Building that is located next to Ambience Discotheque leaving over 100 former street children and workers stranded.
Godfrey Kayemba, Mayor Masaka Municipality tried to block the eviction to save the children from being displaced in vain as the court bailiffs who were armed with guns threatened violence against him. Following the forceful eviction, Budukiro Children’s Agency relocated temporarily to Ssenyange Village with some of the former street children who have been undergoing rehabilitation.
Charles Keith Ssenkubuge, Program Manager Budukiro Children’s Agency says that most of the former street children have abandoned the project and returned to the streets. He says that the most affected beneficiaries are boys between 5 and 15 years of age. Ssenkubuge explains that the return of the children to the streets is likely to affect them as their donors might pull out citing the failure by the project to get rid of street children from Masaka town.
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When URN visited Budukiro’s new home, only 7 children, six of them boys were taking porridge. Some of the former street children have now resorted to slaughtering chicken at Masaka Central Market while others are vending water for survival. Two of the children, who spoke to URN whose identities have been withheld because they are minors, explain that they have abandoned Budukiro because it is very far.
They explain that it is tiresome for them to walk from Masaka town to Ssenyange village. Johnson Baryantuma, Town clerk Masaka town says the eviction of Budukiro which was taking care of these children has seriously affected them. He also says that they don’t recognize the occupation of Maho Building by the two soldiers because they were allocated the land illegally by Masaka Land Board.
Baryantuma says that they have handed over the matter to police for further investigations. But Andrew Kayende insists that they legally acquired the disputed plot of land.
