The State minister for Youth and Children Affairs Nakiwala Kiyingi has reiterated her warning to all ‘Good Samaritan’s that they will  be arrested  for being kind to street kids roaming in different towns of the country,mainly Kampala streets.

Last month, Parliament passed a bill that makes it illegal to offer any donation to street children.

According to the new law, any person who offers a donation in terms of money, food or any help to street children commits a criminal offence and might face up to six months in jail or a standard fine of Shs 41,350.

Now , according to Minister Nakiwala Kiyingi, starting this June anyone caught making a kind gesture to street children will be arrested.
While appearing on NBS Focal Point, the minister said; “Yes, we will arrest them (Ugandans) for being kind. This is what is keeping children on the streets. For every five children you see on the verandahs, there is a lady and a man sitting in the corner. We know all these things so please abstain from giving them and let me have these who are stranded that I can feed. That is the money that I was given,” Nakiwala said.

Nakiwala confirmed that her ministry received UgShs. 3.4 Billion from the Ministry Of Finance to resettle street children and that from June on-wards, no children will be on the streets.

“We have captured some people already who were commercialising children and they’re behind bars but we needed money to make this process sustainable. I can promise Ugandans that from June onwards, you will not find children on re streets. We have signed MOUs and have constructed 132 homes where we are going to take them,” Nakiwala added.

According to a research done in four urban centres; Kampala, Jinja, Mbale and Busia, over 15,000 children are living on the streets and are a security time bomb for the country if they are not helped to become better future citizens.