Defilement: A Critical Analysis Of The Law And Practice In Uganda

ABSTRACT

The study aimed at analyzing the law and practice in Uganda regarding defilement. The objectives of the study were; to examine the existing laws in relation to defilement in Uganda and to establish factors and practices that aggravates defilement in Uganda.

The researcher used a descriptive design to get in-depth information about the topic to critically m1alyses the laws about defilement and practice in Uganda. Stratified random sampling was used.

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The respondents were grouped into three categories that is the; law makers, the police and pm·ents; each category makes a sub group. In each sub group, random sampling of ten (1 0) respondents

' was done for easy representation of all sample categ9ries to malce an overall total of30 respondents selected. The researcher used a questionnaire as a major tool for data collection. A questionnai!·e

was formulated and designed in a structured self-administered questionnaire fashion. Additional data was also collected through review of events as they were reported in the newspapers, internet.

text books, newspapers, journals, law books regarding the topic understudy during the study period. This research tool was preferred because it is essential and 'enabled the study to come up

with facts, figures,'opinions m1d detailed information. Results of the study revealed that Uganda

has laws in place that criminalize defilement however the citizens practices have over the years led to increased cases of defilement cases ill 1.'1 ganda a,, nd Kampala in particular because having a good law that is not translated into good practice or even guard the children against defilement is a very big waste. The study results revealed that defilement is still a very big challenge in Kampala district and has led to high school dropout; early ~\·egnancies and spread of diseases especial)y sexually trm1smitted diseases which are all harmful to children. Therefore, the govermnent together with all the other stake holders including parents have a very big role to play if defilement is to be reduced in Kampala. This calls for increased public sensitization about the defilement law as well as the practices that should be stopped due to their negative contribution towards increasing defilement in Uganda, so that the lives of the children are protected. The study recommends the law enforcement authorities to make sure that the law takes its course especially those that are brought to court should make sure that the right procedure is followed as stated in the law.

TABLE OF (::GNTENT

DECLARATION ............................................................ .' ..... : ....................................................... 1 ii

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................. iii

DEDICATION .............................................................................................................................. iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMT .................................................................................................................. v

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... vi

TABLE OF CONTENT ............................................................................................................. vii

CHAPTER 0 NE: .......................................'. ...".. .............................................................................. 1

JNTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ................................................... !

1.0 Background to the study ................................................................................................................... :.1

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1.1 Statement of the problem ................................................ J ••••• : •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ..\.1

1.2 Study objectives ................................................................................................................................... 2

1.2.1 Main Objective .................................................................................................................................. 2

1.2.2 Specific objectives ............................................................................................................................ 2

1.3 Significance of the study ................................................................... .' ................................................. 2

1.4 Scope ofthe study ................................................................................................................................ 3

15 Justification of the study ...................................................................................................................... 3

1.6 Presentation of chapters .......................... :· .... '.' ............ , ......................................................................... 3

CIIAPTER T\V0: .......................................................................................................................... 5

' ' 'I LITERATURE REVIEW ................................. .' .............•.... : ....................................................... >5

2.2 Existing Laws in relation to defilement ............................................................................................ 9

2.2.1 The Constitution of Uganda (1995) ................................................................................................. 9

2.2.2 Children's Act (2004) .................................................................................................................... 11

2.3 Factors and practices that aggravate defilement ............................ : ............................................... 12

CHAPTER THREE: ................................................................................................................... 15

METHODOLOGY ................................... :· ... .': ............,. ................................................................. 15

3.1 Intro.duction ......................................................................................................................................... 15

3.2 Research Design ........................................................................................... .' ..................................... 15

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3.3 Data· collection ..................................................................................................... , ............................... lS

3.3. I Research Questiommire ..................................... ;, .......................................................................... ·15 ' ' ' ' '

3.4 Data analysis ..................................................................... : ........................ , ........................................ l6

3.5 Sample Population, selection and size ............................................................................................ 16

3.6 Data presentation ................................................................................................................................ 16

3. 7 Ethical considerations ........................................................................................................................ 16

CHAPTER FOUR: ...................................................................................................................... 17

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH RESULTS ............. 17

4.0 Introduction ................................................................. \· ....................................................................... 17

4.1 Demographic characteristics of respondents ............................................. , .................................... 17

4.2 Defilement law ............................................... : ................................................................................... 18

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4.3 Existing laws in relation to defilement. ........................ : ..... ~ ............................................................ 2o

4.4 Factors and Practices that aggravate defilement. ........................................................................... 20

4.5 Discussion of Results ........................................................................................................................ 23

4.5.1 Existing laws in relation to defilement. ....................................................................................... 23

4.5.2 Defilement law ................................................................................................................................ 24

4.5.3 Factors and Practices that aggravate defilement... .................................................................... ,. 24

4.6 Other findings ..................................................................................................................................... 25

4.6.1 What should be clone to reduce defilement ......... -: ....................................................................... 25

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................... , ..................................................................... 26

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RESULTS SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................... 26

5.1 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 26

5.2 General Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 26

5.3 Recommendations .............................................................................................................................. 26

5.3 .I Existing laws on defilement .......................................................... .' ............................................... 26

5.3 .2 Defilement Law .............................................................................................................................. 27

5.3 Factors that aggravate defilement .................................................................................................... 27

5.4 Areas of further study .............................. : .... ~-.................................................................................... 27

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REFERENCES ........................................... : .... ': ........... ,, ................................................................. 28

APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAR£ ................................................................................................ 30