The Kampala Capital City Authority has issued a strong warning to parents and guardians whose children are found living on the streets without proper care and protection. The warning was delivered by Sharifah Buzeki, who said that responsible adults will face prosecution if they are identified and linked to children abandoned on the streets.
According to Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki, children deserve safety, love, education, shelter, and proper guidance instead of struggling to survive on the streets. She stressed that every parent and guardian has a legal and moral responsibility to care for their children and ensure they grow up in a safe environment.
Her statement comes at a time when Kampala continues to experience a growing number of street children in busy areas such as markets, taxi parks, road junctions, and trading centres. Many of these children are often seen begging for money, cleaning car windscreens, carrying luggage for strangers, or sleeping in unsafe places during the night.
KCCA says the increasing number of children living on the streets has become a serious social concern that requires urgent action from both authorities and families. City leaders believe many children are exposed to dangerous conditions that threaten their health, safety, and future.
Some of the children living on the streets reportedly come from broken families, extreme poverty, domestic violence, neglect, or communities affected by unemployment and hardship. Others are said to have been abandoned completely by parents or guardians who failed to provide proper care.
Hajjat Buzeki emphasized that abandoning children should never be accepted as normal. She stated that when authorities identify parents or guardians connected to children living helplessly on the streets, legal action will be taken against them through the courts of law.
Her remarks have sparked nationwide debate, with many Ugandans supporting the move while others argue that poverty and economic struggles are pushing many families into desperate situations. Some citizens believe prosecution alone may not fully solve the growing crisis of street children.
Supporters of KCCA’s position argue that many children on the streets face terrible dangers every day. They are vulnerable to drug abuse, exploitation, violence, criminal gangs, human trafficking, and other harmful activities that can permanently destroy their lives.
Child rights activists have long warned that street life exposes children to both physical and emotional suffering. Many children reportedly grow up without education, healthcare, parental love, or protection, leaving them trapped in cycles of poverty and hopelessness.
Authorities say some street children are also recruited into criminal activities at a very young age. Cases involving theft, substance abuse, and violence among vulnerable children have increasingly worried both law enforcement agencies and community leaders.
KCCA leaders believe that parents and guardians must stop shifting their responsibilities to the streets and instead work together with government institutions to protect children. According to officials, every child deserves an opportunity to live with dignity and hope for a better future.
Hajjat Buzeki’s statement also highlights the broader issue of child welfare in urban areas. Kampala, like many growing cities, continues to face challenges linked to rapid urbanization, unemployment, rising living costs, and migration from rural communities.
Many families arriving in the city in search of work reportedly end up struggling to survive due to limited opportunities and high expenses. In some situations, children are forced onto the streets to beg for money or help support their families financially.
However, authorities insist that economic hardship cannot justify abandoning children or allowing them to live in dangerous street conditions. KCCA says it plans to continue operations aimed at rescuing vulnerable children and reconnecting them with safer environments.
Some religious leaders and community activists have welcomed the warning from KCCA, saying it may push parents to take their responsibilities more seriously. Others are calling for stronger family support programs, counselling services, and poverty reduction initiatives.
Education experts also argue that keeping children off the streets is important for the future of the country. They say children who miss school due to street life often lose opportunities to build stable and productive lives later on.
Meanwhile, human rights groups have urged authorities to balance law enforcement with compassion and rehabilitation efforts. They argue that while parents should be held accountable, government must also address deeper social and economic challenges affecting vulnerable families.
KCCA has reportedly intensified operations in different parts of Kampala to remove children from the streets and connect them with rehabilitation centres and social support services. Officials say these interventions aim to give affected children another chance at life.
Residents of Kampala continue to express mixed reactions to the ongoing operations. Some citizens believe the streets have become unsafe and overcrowded partly because of rising numbers of homeless children. Others sympathize with struggling families facing poverty and unemployment.
Despite the differing opinions, many Ugandans agree on one important point — children deserve protection, care, education, and hope. Most people believe no child should grow up sleeping on streets, begging for survival, or facing daily danger without adult support.
As KCCA continues its campaign, Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki’s message remains clear: parents and guardians must take responsibility for their children. Authorities insist that children belong in homes, schools, and safe communities — not on the streets fighting to survive alone.
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