Inside Speaker Among's meeting with Inebantu's parents in Buyende.

Yesterday, the speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, who also doubles as the woman member of Parliament, Bukedea District, Rt. Hon. Nalongo Anita Among hosted Mr Stanley Bayoole, and his wife, Mrs Rebecca Nakisita Bayoole, the parents of the Inhebantu of Busoga, Mama Jovia Mutesi, at her home in Buyende.

It should be noted that the Buyende residential home belongs to Hon. Salongo Magogo Moses, the speaker's husband. 

According to our sources, the Royals called in to congratulate the speaker and her husband on the double bundles (twins) of joy they recently received. 

They also discussed other matters of mutual interest that can lead to the transformation of the girl child in the Busoga Region. 

Mr Bayoole who is also the  Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Bulambuli District is well known for valuing friendship and being passionate about matters of the girl child, upholding family values, and making a contribution to Nation-building.

Mr. Bayole Moses is also a pro anti-LGBTQ Activist who has been occasionally seen spitting venom at those who promote such acts.

Recently, the People in Busoga requested Inhebantu and the entire family to start with grooming girls, fight against teenage pregnancies. This could be one of the big reason why they held a meeting with the speaker of the August house, who is also a good advocate of the girl child.

Busoga Sub-Region has been on the high heels of teenage pregnancies and early marriages and the matter turned even worse during the COVID-19 pandemic and a number of girls dropped out of schools while others contracted sexually transmitted infections.

Records from the United Nations Population Fund-UNFPA as of 2021 rated Mayuge and Kamuli as some of the districts having the highest teenage pregnancy cases in the country.

Kamuli recorded 6,535 whereas Mayuge registered 6,205 teenage pregnancies.

Recently, Mwanja Mary also a mother to the Inhebantu said that most teenage mothers lose their future career plans due to a lack of support from both their parents and communities after delivery, which is disadvantageous for them to excel in life like their male peers.

The available statistics indicate that 27% of the girls between the ages of 15-19 have been getting pregnant annually over the years, efforts to reduce this figure have been frustrating due to the information gaps created by COVID-19.

However, leaders in the area are optimistic that with Busoga getting the new Queen she will put more programs in a bid to end challenges girl children face in communities such as school dropouts, and child marriages among others. 

Probably this is the reason why his father who has been supportive to her is trying all avenues to see that this is achieved.

Story by: Musamali Arnold.