Kadaga cautions Sebei on child marriages

By David Oduut

The speaker of parliament Rt. Honorable Rebeca Kadaga has been angered by the rate at which young girls are being married-off in Sebei region.

At least 100 under-age school girls were married off last year in each of the districts of Kween, Bukwo and Kapchorwa according to education statistics in Sebei region.

Speaking in Kween district during the Sabiny cultural day held Wednesday at Kwosir Girls’ Senior Secondary School, Kadaga noted with disappointment that instead of punishing men who lure under-age girls into marriage, the communities of Sebei continue to give them prestige; offering them seats in churches, electing into leadership positions among others which she said has made the vise take root in Sebei.

She cautioned parents against abetting child marriage, also encouraging girls to report those harassing them; noting that laws have been tightened to get hold of them.

The speaker said with government education programs like Universal Primary and Secondary Education in place, Sebei communities should otherwise embrace educating their children especially girls other than offering them off cheaply in exchange for dowry.

“What dowry will you get from un educated 13 year old girl, chicken or pigs? You should take this girls to school and the benefits are vast.”

Kadaga said as she paraded notable female leaders in the region including RDC Kapchorwa Jane Frances Kuka and Woman MP Kween Lydia Chekwel.

She also condemned the continued practice of Female Genital Mutilation FGM which she says has kept girls in a haven of being exploited and marginalized.

In the course, she gave out dozens of a book, The Switch written by Mary Karooro Okurut, which outlaws and explains the dangers of practicing Female Genital Mutilation.

While commissioning a classroom block at Kwosir Girls’ SS, speaker Kadaga noted that government is committed to fulfil a pledge made by president Museveni in support of girl education in Sebei region.

During his recent visit, President Museveni pledged to construct more girls’ schools in Sebei region to support their education as a way of addressing FGM.

Also throwing weight against early marriages was the paramount leader of the Kalenjin community, Major John Seii who noted that time for harmful cultural practices like ‘marrying off girls prematurely’ and FGM has come to an end.

He implored communities to educate both girls and boys in equal measure warning that places that have marginalized girls have also seen the least development throughout the world.

Beatrice Chelangat the Director General of The Reach program a nongovernmental organization fighting against FGM in Sebei Region said much as the region is seeing a dwindling FGM practice, it has become almost a normal practice for parents in Sebei to marry off their 13-15 year old daughter.

“It has been a green snake in green grass. And it will also take effort to fight it,” Chelangat said on Wednesday.