IT DEFEATS MY UNDERSTANDING HOW KAJJANSI POLICE STATION HANDLED AN ABANDONED CHILD

On Sunday 13 January 2013 morning, an abandoned child was delivered to Rebecca a resident of Kawotto in Kajjansi (0783 736300). Those who delivered the child did so on grounds that they believed that the child belonged to a boy who calls Rebecca an aunt. The immediate action by Rebecca as done by Andrew (son of 0772 684533) was to go to the Police Station and report the matter. The madam in charge of family matters said that their obligation was to identify a relative and have the child there. She further said that necessary procedures would be handled the following day.

The Police did not take any effort to follow up to find how the child had been delivered to Rebecca and where the child had been left etc. The child in ill health would have been the concern of the Police to have the child taken to a medical facility and examined. On Monday, Rebecca called at the Police but not ready to have the custody of the child given that she is a widow and tries hard to support her two children who are still at school. Instead, Rebecca was given a letter to take to the Probation Officer at Ssisa Sub County Headquarters. At the sub county, the letter content showed that Rebecca was ready to undertake the custody of the child. The Probation Officer went as far as telling the group that they should have not in anyway have got in contact with the child without the Police undertaking their rightful duty. The group came back to Kajjansi with the custody of the child forced on to them. It is a fact that some Police Officers have interacted with the girl who dropped the child more than once. By yesterday, efforts to get the girl by the Police had not taken off. The girl in believed to be in her senses, she has her parents in Masaka but keeps around Kajjansi Trading centre. I got concerned when I learnt about this matter. I took my time to write to the DPC of Kajjansi Police Station, however, in a matter that Police normally uses, by yesterday, I had failed to get anywhere with the DPC who referred me back to the madam officer in charge of family matters. I went as far as telling the woman officer the name of a boda boda cyclist who could help in getting the parties who are responsible for the child abandonment, however, when I called on this boda boda guy in the evening (Bukenya near kajjansi taawo along Nakigalala road), he told me that the Police woman had not contacted him over the matter of helping to arrest the culprit. The purpose of this communication is to put the record clear of how Police can be frustrating, to the extent of leaving a child like the one in the picture without proper investigation and forcing the child on to the custody of a person who has no ability in addition to other facts concerning this matter. What is absurd is that at one time when the Police needed the girl around, it took no time ringing her and she arrived, this time they are not showing any seriousness in getting the girl and having a proper way forward. The child is less than 6 months old, which child should actually be in the custody of her mother. William Kiwanuka