Napak intensifies rescue of street children from Kampala, enrolls hundreds in school

10 February 2026, 9:29 am

By Odong Daniel

Napak District leaders have rescued 682 street-connected children from Kampala since 2024, enrolling them in primary schools and warning parents and traffickers, as efforts intensify to remove an estimated 3,000 more children from the streets.

Authorities from Napak District have stepped up operations to rescue street-connected children from the capital, implementing district council resolutions aimed at removing vulnerable minors from street life and restoring their access to education.

The operation, conducted on 9 February 2026, targeted the city suburbs of Katwe and Kisenyi and was led by Resident District Commissioner Odongo Milton. The team included district leaders, probation officers, parents’ representatives, and officials from the Kampala Capital City Authority and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.

The initiative stems from Napak District Council resolutions passed in 2022, which aim to rescue street children, rehabilitate them, and reintegrate them into their communities so they can benefit from government education programmes.

Since 2024, at least 682 children have been rescued from the streets of Kampala with support from partners including UNICEF and the World Food Programme.

The children have been enrolled in five government primary schools in Napak District under the Universal Primary Education programme. Lotome Girls Primary School received 235 pupils, Lokodokodi Primary School 111, Lodoi Primary School 146, Nakicelet Primary School 85, and Lopei Primary School 106.

Officials say the programme is helping restore stability and provide a pathway to a better future for children who had previously faced hunger, abuse, and exploitation on the streets.

However, probation officials estimate that about 3,000 children remain on Kampala’s streets and are yet to be rescued.

Speaking during the engagement, RDC Odongo Milton urged parents to take responsibility for their children and ensure they remain in school.

He warned that street life exposes children to serious risks, including trafficking, abuse, crime, and long-term poverty.

He also cautioned individuals involved in child exploitation, trafficking, and defilement, warning that security agencies would arrest and prosecute offenders.

Authorities say restoring children to families and schools is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty and vulnerability.

Odongo noted that improved peace and security in the Karamoja sub-region have created opportunities for families to rebuild their livelihoods.

He highlighted several government initiatives aimed at tackling poverty, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP).

These programmes are designed to strengthen household incomes and reduce the factors that push children to migrate to urban centres.

Leaders also raised concerns about hygiene conditions affecting some resettled children. The RDC assured stakeholders that the district health technical team would address the matter urgently to prevent possible disease outbreaks.

Local leaders from Lokopo, Lopei, and Matany Town Council attended the engagement.

Authorities say the rescue programme will continue until more children are removed from the streets and successfully reintegrated into school and family life.