The State Minister for Gender and Culture, who also serves as the Woman Member of Parliament for Bunyangabu County, Peace Regis Mutuuzo, has expressed concern over the increasing school dropout rates in the district, warning that it is hindering local development.
Speaking during a district council meeting held at the district headquarters yesterday, Mutuuzo attributed the growing dropout rate to a surge in teenage pregnancies and early marriages.
Mutuuzo also condemned the prevalence of defilement and incest in some families, where cases of parents engaging in sexual relations with their daughters and other relatives have been reported.
She urged the community to take a firm stand against these harmful practices.
The minister directed the district security team to take decisive action, emphasizing that if families fail to address these issues internally, government forces will intervene to enforce the law and protect vulnerable individuals.
Additionally, Mutuuzo called for improved cooperation among district leaders, following recent tensions over allegations of job selling and other corruption scandals.
She urged leaders to foster transparency and integrity in governance to ensure better service delivery for the people of Bunyangabu.
Her remarks came after the district Council Speaker Kato Hussein also raised alarm over the alleged sale of jobs within the district, citing an instance where an applicant was reportedly asked to pay a bribe before securing a position.